Ten Heritage Day activities with the app

Ten Heritage Day activities with the app

From the bat, workhorse and lap dog to the big bad wolf, the magpie on the gallows, the first swallow, the black widow or the ever-seeking woodworm: on Sunday, April 23, you are guaranteed to encounter the entire animal kingdom, in front of and behind the scenes. That's when Heritage Day carries the theme "Beastly!

Lots of activities use the ErfgoedApp. From the program we have already selected some ErfgoedApp-tours, -games and -walks that will challenge you to explore. Are you coming with us?

An animal on your plate (Leuven)

© Leuven City Archives, Sprengers Collection

Meat or no meat on your plate? That choice is not an easy one. Health considerations, cultural and religious traditions and concerns about the climate make us choose to eat different, less or no meat. During this walk in Leuven's city center, explore how meat production and consumption evolved over time. From the live animal and the cattle markets over the slaughterhouses and the butchers to the kitchen and the plate - at home or at a restaurant. But even not eating meat has its own history with numerous traces in the inner city.

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Discover the story of the Beeusaert horse (Deinze)

© Peter Claeys

Do you know the Beeusaert horse? During a walk with the ErfgoedApp you will discover the story of this typical toy. Among other things, we walk past Villa Beeusaert, the factory buildings and the grave of Nazaire Beeusaert. At various locations, the production process of the toy is explained.

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Experiencing heritage at the petting zoo (Bruges)

© Álex Cámara

Get to know some hidden gems within the theme "Beastly stories and heritage. In the ErfgoedApp , all the sights on the trail are provided with the necessary photo material and some surprising beastly anecdotes. Ready for?

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What about loose cattle? Lane walk (Overijse)

© Etienne Denis

The center of Overijse, with its famous S-curve, is bursting with beastly tales. Bakers, butchers and breweries created hustle and bustle there, using horses and carriages to complete the many deliveries. What animals were used in transportation? What did people do with stray cattle in the period 1300-1400? For the occasion, old and disappeared street names are given a prominent place again. Because street names also refer to this beastly past! You can do the walk with a guide or via ErfgoedApp. Also visit the expo on the theme 'Beastly' in the Dru!f visitor center.

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Sssuskewiet, cycling among the finches (Waregem)

© Daniel Soens

From one finch settlement to another. Cycle through a tour in the ErfgoedApp from Harelbeke to Anzegem past locations where you may encounter finches.

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Crack the Odrada code! (Bales)

© Painting, H. Odrada, c. 1654 copyright KIK-IRPA

Anyone who has to imagine a typical Balens animal immediately thinks of horses. And we owe this to a young lady who stayed in the village in the 7th-8th century, at a Frankish court in Scheps. Every person from Balen has heard of her and knows that she has something to do with wild horses: Odrada. Her life story has several variants, but also has some mysterious sides ... Do you sometimes fantasize about finding a real treasure in the woods or fields? Left there by brave warriors or wild brigands in a distant past? Well, maybe that dream can come true, too. One folk tale suggests that Odrada's golden cradle is still buried in Balen. According to some, if you find the place and stomp hard on the ground, you might even hear the cradle ringing ... Immerse yourself in the local Balen village history, travel through our municipality with the help of the ErfgoedApp and crack the Odrada code!

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What stuffed animals tell us (Turnhout)

© Natuurpunt Museum

Through the ErfgoedApp you can hear taxidermist Emiel Janssen tell unforgettable stories about the origins of some of the pieces in the Nature Point Museum's collection. Where was the animal found and how did it die? With respect for the transition from a living to an inanimate animal, transformed into an exhibit. In a cabinet of curiosities, we exhibit the "speciallekes" and a taxidermist demonstrates his craft.

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Animal fun in the painting district (Kortrijk)

© City of Kortrijk

Abby Kortrijk welcomes you to the "Schilderskwartier. In this neighborhood between the station and the courthouse, several streets and a square are named after famous Kortrijk animal painters. For Heritage Day 2023, Abby is bombarding the neighborhood with the better animal work. Follow the walking route, get to know a motley crew of animals on the border between wildness and civilization - and in the process discover the beast in yourself.

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Animals on canvas (Genk)

© Emile Van Doren Museum

"Although they often do not play the leading role, they are many!" is the premise of the exhibition at the Emile Van Doren Museum. What is the role of animals in paintings and drawings? How were animals depicted throughout art history? The museum brings these stories together in the exhibition 'Beastly Painted'. Still hungry for more? There is also a workshop'Beasts and colors on gold & silver'. In it you will learn how to create color with natural materials. For young and old!

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Animalia (Schaerbeek)

© Train World

During the temporary expo Animalia, you will spot lifelike elephants, giraffes and other animals among the trains: the exhibition makes you reflect on the climate crisis and the importance of biodiversity. On Heritage Day, there is also extra much to experience in Train World. Learn all about the railroad line to Leopold II's horse racing track and how important insects are for a healthy planet - provided they don't chew up the museum's collection ...

  • Fancy admiring Belgium's oldest trains?
  • Would you like to visit a museum with the kids that is interactive?
  • Does a railroad opera capture your imagination?

You can visit Train World with the ErfgoedApp and for the smallest railroad enthusiasts there is also a quest provided. Will you find the sultan's diamond?

There are some free activities during Heritage Day. Visits to the museum are not free.

Curious about more beastly activities at ErfgoedApp? You can find an overview here. Can't wait until Heritage Day? Then browse through the full range of tours at ErfgoedApp on heritage.app.