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Who could imagine that behind the monumental grids of the entry of the Park, you penetrate in the universe of a collector? The rare and secular trees and the statues quite naturally lead you to an écrin designed by Roger Bastin for the richness’s gathered by Raoul Warocqué. Enlightened and eclectic amateur, he will walk his passion of the rare books to representative works of great civilizations of Europe and Asia, or past of his area, the Hainaut..

 

The collections gathered by Raoul Waroqué are currently presented in a museum inaugurated in 1975 and built by the Belgian architect Roger Bastin. Its architecture, sober, creates a favourable climate with contemplation. Quality and eclecticism of works presented make of it; one of the first museums of Wallonia. It is, indeed, treasures coveted by the largest museums of the world that Raoul Waroqué gathered during his life, thanks to its colossal fortune. Today, the royal Museum of Mariemont, scientific establishment of the French Community of Belgium, continues the work of its founder by the study and the development, but also by the enrichment, of the collections which are entrusted to him.

 

Raoul Waroqué devoted most of his fortune to acquire art works of Classical Antiquity. Mariemont is one of the rare places in Northern Europe where you can admire the paintings created for a villa of Pompei (Boscoreale) or many Greek and Roman statues, but also very beautiful collections of Egyptian antiquities, in particular the monumental statue of Claopatra (three meters, five tons).

Interested by Eastern philosophies, Raoul Warocqué also brought back, at the time of a stay in the Extreme-East, a considerable number of Chinese and Japanese works. These collections were increased, at the point to form a place from now on impossible to circumvent to appreciate, in Belgium, Eastern civilizations. You will be able in particular to see one of the only true Tea houses exposed in a Western museum, where are held, to regular intervals, tea ceremonies.

The Royal Museum of Mariemont welcomes you from 10am to 5pm. Our doors will be open every day, except on Mondays.

The Park is open from 8am to 6pm every day.

Tel. : +32(0)64 21 21 93

E-mail : info(at)mariemont.be

 

 

The restaurant "The Terrace of Mariemont" is open, upon reservation.

 

The Library is open upon reservation.

 

The "Atelier du Livre" organizes workshops. Discover its program on our website.