Aalst stadhuis, Stedelijk Museum is a city museum that collects and presents exhibits related to the history, art and material heritage of the city of Aalst. The facility has a particularly rich archaeological collection and a representative collection of printing presses, from models from the time of the first local printer, Dirk Martens, to devices from the 19th century.
One of the greatest attractions of the museum is the exhibition dedicated to the famous carnival in Aalst, which was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List in 2010.
The first mention of the carnival comes from 1432, when the characters of the solemn parade were the figures of giants and the image of the wild horse Bayard, known from the legends of Charlemagne.
At the end of the 19th century, the tradition of city carnivals in Belgium began to fade away - only the carnival in Aalast survived. In the museum you can learn about the history of the event and see the most interesting puppets and costumes used during the holiday.
Attractions inside
