Bastogne War Museum

What it is

The Bastogne War Museum is the great Second World War museum in the Ardennes and in Belgium, and it focuses on the Battle of the Bulge, the German offensive of the winter of 1944 in which Bastogne was surrounded. It is on the Mardasson hill, next to the memorial, and continues a story that began in 1950, when Guy Franz Arend opened the Bastogne Nuts Museum here; since 2014 it has been the current museum.

A single ticket covers three visits: the museum, the Bois Jacques, the forest with the paratroopers' foxholes, and the Bastogne War Rooms, General McAuliffe's basement. You have six months to see whatever you have not yet seen.

What you see

The tour tells the causes, events and consequences of the war, with objects chosen to link the small history of individuals to the great one. The audio guide, included, accompanies you with four voices: Emile Mostade, a 13-year-old boy from Bastogne who plays the accordion; Mathilde Devillers, a young teacher from the village; Hans Wegmüller, lieutenant in the 26th Volksgrenadier Division, the unit that was to take Bastogne, and Robert Keane, corporal in the 101st Airborne Division, which defended it. Along the way there are interactive screens designed for schoolchildren and young people.

At the end is Generations45, a visit of about 30 minutes that follows an American and a German veteran from 1945 to 1989, from the ruins of Bastogne to the Berlin Wall. It ends beside a full-size replica of a P-51 Mustang fighter. The last entry to Generations45 is at 17:15.

Allow two and a half hours for the museum with Generations45. With the Bois Jacques and the War Rooms, the whole day.

Opening hours

Open every day from 9:30. Closing varies with the season, between 17:00 and 19:00; in November 2026 it closes at 18:00. Check the calendar on the website, which shows the hours for each day.

Tickets

• Adults (19–64): €28.
• Over-65s and teachers: €24.50.
• Students and people with a disability: €19.50.
• Children aged 6 to 18: €15.50. Under-6s, free.
• Family (two adults and two children): €72.

The ticket includes the audio guide, the Bois Jacques and the War Rooms. It is bought online for a half-hour slot; it is not compulsory, but without a booking entry is not guaranteed, especially at weekends, on public holidays and during school holidays. You can carry it on your phone.

Getting there and parking

The address is Colline du Mardasson 5, on the outskirts of Bastogne. In front is the municipal car park, with 200 spaces, for €7.50 per vehicle; it is not suitable for motorhomes. Without a car, the train reaches Libramont and from there continue by TEC bus; in Bastogne, line 6 drops you at the Pépinière stop, about a 20-minute walk away.

Facilities and accessibility

The museum is accessible: entrance, shop and toilets are at street level and a lift takes you to the tour. They lend a wheelchair if you ask. There are lockers with a €1 deposit. At the Bistrot de la Paix, with a terrace facing the memorial, you can eat without a ticket. Photos without flash are allowed.

With children and dogs

The visit is designed for all audiences, but under-12s must be accompanied by an adult. It works best from about age 10: the subject is hard and the audio guide long. Dogs may not enter the tour, except assistance dogs; they are allowed in the shop and the bistro.