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Museum · Spa, Liège
Musée de la Ville d'eaux
Museum of Spa's thermal history, housed in the Villa Royale, the former residence of Queen Maria Henriqueta. Known for its collection of jolités, painted wooden trinket boxes that visitors took as souvenirs.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Musée de la Ville d'eaux
The Musée de la Ville d'eaux, the museum of the city of waters, tells how Spa became a destination for the European aristocracy. It is housed in the Villa Royale, the house where Queen Maria Henriqueta lived, wife of King Leopold II, who spent the last years of his life in Spa.
The specialty of the house is the jolités: boxes, cases and small objects of varnished and hand-painted wood, made in Spa and sold as mementos to those who came to take the waters. It is one of the largest collections of this craft.
The collection also includes posters, prints and objects connected to thermal life, the games and promenades of illustrious visitors and the springs. In the villa's former stables operates the Musée spadois du Cheval, dedicated to the horse in the city's history.
The visit helps to understand what you see elsewhere in town, from the springs to the park, and shows how the waters shaped the local economy.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
One to one and a half hours, including the horse museum.
Best time
In the afternoon, after visiting the Pouhon and the park. The museum has reduced opening days and hours outside the European summer; check before going.
How to get there
It is on avenue Reine Astrid, about a ten-minute walk from the center of Spa, uphill from the Place Royale.
Tip
Notice the jolités with hand-painted scenes of Spa: they show the springs and promenades as they were in the 18th and 19th centuries. The captions are in French, so it's worth asking for supporting material at the entrance.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Musée de la Ville d'eaux
What are jolités?
Small boxes and objects of varnished and hand-painted wood, made in Spa and sold as souvenirs to visitors to the waters.
Who lived in the Villa Royale?
Queen Marie Henriette, wife of King Leopold II, who spent her final years there.