Practical information

Accessibility

• Accessibility information per installation

  • Iván Argote – Who? (Speelmansrei)
    Iván Argote’s work quite literally stands ‘on’ the water. It can be viewed from the little bridge crossing Speelmansrei, near Beenhouwerstraat 1. A 1-metre-high stone wall runs along the bridge. The pavement on the bridge itself is 86 cm wide. It is level, but has a 13 cm kerb. At the foot of the bridge (Moerstraat side), the pavement is more than 1 m wide; the kerb here is just 4 cm.
    The nearest (accessible) toilet is located on ‘t Zand square.
    You can take the bus to the sculpture, getting off at either ‘t Zand, Hoefijzerlaan, or Sint-Salvatorskathedraal (Saint Saviour’s Cathedral).
    
  • Bangkok Project Studio – The tower of balance (Opposite King Albert I Park)
    Bangkok Project Studio’s installation is on a grassy slope. Wheelchair users can approach the installation via a paved path along Koning Albert I-laan, which then turns into a gravel path that runs right up to the installation. You will have an excellent view of the installation from King Albert I Park opposite the artwork. The paths running through King Albert I Park are broad and level.
    There are benches and an accessible (pay) toilet on both ‘t Zand square and in King Albert I Park. The nearest (wheelchair accessible) bus stop is located on ‘t Zand square.
    
    
  • Mariana Castillo Deball – Firesong for the bees, a tree of clay (Professor Dr. J. Sebrechts Park)
    Mariana Castillo Deball’s work is located in Sebrechts Park. The paths here are unpaved but level (crushed stone). The artwork itself is positioned on a gently sloping stretch of grass. You are welcome to touch the installation. There are benches in the park.
    There are no public toilets nearby; the closest ones are on ‘t Zand square or Market square.
    You can take the (wheelchair accessible) city-centre shuttle bus to the artwork. The closest stop, Sint-Jacobsstraat, is a 10-minute walk away. More info.

  • Mona Hatoum – Full Swing (garden P.H. Onzelievevrouw)
    All surfaces (i.e. the stairs, walls, and floor) of Mona Hatoum’s work are made of gabions (metal cages filled with stones) . As a result, the floor is rather uneven. We advise against wearing heels or flip-flops in the underground passage, as these might make you stumble. Be extra careful if you are blind or have a vision impairment and use a white cane. There is no handrail along the staircase down to the swing. Only one person at a time will be allowed into the underground passage. You are welcome to enter the work with an assistant, but in this case, will not be able to use the swing.
    The swing is situated in the garden of the Onzelievevrouw Psychiatric Hospital. The paths in the garden are partly paved, partly made of crushed stone (gravel). To reach the installation, you need to cross a grassy area.
    Visitors are welcome to use the hospital’s toilets and canteen.
    Mona Hatoum’s work is a 10- to 15-minute walk from the station, or a 5-minute walk from the Sint-Andries/Sint-Lodewijk bus stop.
    

  • Ivan Morison – Star of the Sea (Zeebrugge beach)
    Ivan Morison’s installation, which consists of a small network of pipes, is located on the beach. The pipes’ diameters vary from 1.2 m at the mouth, to 1 m where they converge into the work’s central courtyard. This makes the installation difficult to access for those with reduced mobility. Moving through the installation, you will need to take some steep steps up and down. The paved seafront (Zeedijk) offers excellent views of the installation.
    There is an (accessible) pay toilet on the Zeedijk in the Badengebouw (seafront information point: open only on weekends until the end of June, though the sanitary unit on the seawall is accessible from 10:00 till 19:00).

  • Norell/Rodhe – Raamland (square in Sint-Obrechtsstraat)
    Norell/Rodhe’s work is located on a square in Sint-Obrechtsstraat, between Oost- and Westmeers. The streets are cobblestoned and uneven. They feature narrow pavements and high kerbs. The kerb of the pavement right outside the artwork is 13 cm high.
    Inside the artwork, all doorways are at least 95 cm wide. A asphalt ramp allows visitors to access the pavilion from the square. The surface of the square itself is level and benches are provided.
    The nearest (accessible, pay) toilet is located on ‘t Zand square.
    ‘t Zand square is also where the nearest (wheelchair accessible) bus stop is located.
    
  • Shingo Masuda + Katsuhisa Otsubo Architects – empty drop (St John’s Hospital Park)
    Shingo Masuda + Katsuhisa Otsubo Architects’ work is located in a small park on the Old St John’s site. The park can easily be accessed via the adjacent paved car park, which is level. The roads leading to the car park are (often unevenly) cobblestoned. The paths in the park itself are cobblestoned, but level. The artwork itself is situated on a stretch of grass. There are benches in the park.
    The nearest (accessible) public toilet is located on the Old St John’s site, just east of the park.
    The nearest (wheelchair accessible) bus stop is on ‘t Zand square.
    
  • SO–IL – Common Thread (Capuchin Monastery garden)
    The garden of the former Capuchin Monastery is accessible by wheelchair from the entrance on Klokstraat. Between the entrance and the garden, there are no steps, all passages are wide. The ground in the installation itself is covered in loose gravel. This can make it harder for people with reduced mobility and wheelchair users to access the installation. You are welcome to touch the work.
    The nearest (accessible, pay) toilet is located on ‘t Zand square.
    ‘t Zand square is also where the nearest (wheelchair accessible) bus stop is located.
    

  • Studio Ossidiana – Earthsea Pavilion (Hof Bladelin)
    Studio Ossidiana’s work is located in the secluded courtyard of Hof Bladelin. You enter via a level flagstone footpath. There is a dropped kerb at the edge of the courtyard. The courtyard is covered in tiny pebbles. Inside the installation, the ground is covered in shells. You are welcome to touch the installation, but please do so carefully.
    The nearest (accessible) toilet is located in Kuipersstraat.
    You can take the (wheelchair accessible) city-centre shuttle bus to the artwork. The closest stop, Sint-Jacobsstraat, is a 2-minute walk away. More info

  • Adrien Tirtiaux – Under the Carpet (Zonnekemeers – Prof. Dr. J. Sebrechtsstraat)
    Adrien Tirtiaux’s installation is a three-part work. You are welcome to touch and even step onto part one, the viewing platform on Prof. Dr. J. Sebrechtsstraat. There is a 60 cm step here that can feel quite steep, especially when stepping down. The pavement along this part of the installation is 90 cm wide and made of smooth flagstones.
    The second part of the installation (Poortgebouw, Zonnekemeers) is located in a car park with smooth asphalt. All roads leading to this site are unevenly cobblestoned and have narrow pavements and high kerbs.
    The nearest (accessible, pay) toilets are located on the City Ramparts (Begijnenvest, the Prof. Dr. J. Sebrechtsstraat side) and on ‘t Zand square (Zonnekemeers side).
    The nearest bus stops are by the station (Prof. Dr. J. Sebrechtsstraat side) and on ‘t Zand square (Zonnekemeers side).
    

  • Traumnovelle – The Joyful Apocalypse (courtyard of the Stadshallen [City Halls])
    Traumnovelle created its work in the courtyard of the Stadshallen, near the Belfry in the heart of Bruges. The entire courtyard is cobblestoned. The work itself can be explored via a scaffolding structure and metal staircase, so it is not wheelchair accessible. The platforms within the scaffolding contain holes; please take care when walking across these using a white cane. Some visitors may find the stairs to the three upper floors rather steep.
    There are accessible (pay) toilets in the courtyard.
    The easiest way to reach the installation is by taking the (wheelchair accessible) city-centre shuttle bus. The shuttle bus’s Wollestraat stop is just a 1-minute walk from the artwork. More info.

  • Sumayya Vally – Grains of Paradise (Minnewater Bridge)
    Sumayya Vally’s work floats on the Minnewater [Lake of Love]. Visitors can marvel at it from the City Ramparts (Begijnenvest), the Minnewater Bridge, or Minnewater Park. There is a level, crushed-stone footpath along the City Ramparts. To access the Minnewater Bridge from the side of the Gunpowder Tower, you’ll need to make your way up a slope. The slope and the bridge are cobblestoned but level. At Arsenaalstraat, there is a level entrance to the Minnewater Park. The paths in the park are level and made of crushed stone. There are benches in both the park and along the City Ramparts.
    There is an accessible pay toilet on Begijnenvest.
    Grains of Paradise is a 10-minute walk from the station. Alternatively, you can hop on the (wheelchair accessible) city-centre shuttle bus, getting off at Bargeplein. From that stop, it is a 5-minute walk to the installation.

• Accessible route for people with reduced mobility

  Together with a group of experience experts with limited mobility, TRIBRU has put together a walk around a selection of the artworks.

  The route is three to four kilometres long, connecting four to six installations. Among other things, it describes the state of the surface, thresholds, narrowness and slopes. Toilets and rest areas along the way are also indicated.

  The walk starts at the Bruges Triennial Central info point (In&Uit, 't Zand 34) and runs in a loop that passes by the central train and bus station. It can be joined at any point.

  Download the route description (only available in Dutch) here or pick up your copy at the Central info point (In&Uit, 't Zand 34).

• Guided tours for people with visual or hearing impairments

  Bruges Triennial, The Mind- and Makerspace by Howest, and the guide association S-wan joined forces with some experience experts to enrich the experience Bruges Triennial 2024: Spaces of Possibility for people with a visual impairment.

  The result is a fascinating walk, accompanied by qualified guides trained by TRIBRU. Listen to their underlying stories, be surprised by the sounds, smells and tastes of the installations, and feel their materials and shapes through objects developed for this purpose. This way, your visit to Bruges Triennial will be a unique experience!

  Read more about the guided tour here.
  

• Audio guide for for people with visual impairments

  TRIBRU24 has produced an audio guide to the installations. A narrator allows you to discover them via colours, sizes and shapes and brings the stories behind the artworks to life. Available in Dutch and English.

  Listen to all of them here.

• Flemish Sign Language

  TRIBRU24 has translated the texts about the twelve installations into Flemish Sign Language. Only available in Dutch.

  Watch them all here.

• Accessible bus stops

  The Central info point of Bruges Triennial 2024 (In&Uit, 't Zand 34) is easily accessible by bus from the train station. The bus stop at the train station is independently accessible for wheelchair users and for people with visual or hearing impairments. The bus stop at 't Zand is wheelchair accessible.

  The installations of Studio Ossidiana (Hof Bladelin, Naaldenstraat 19) and Traumnovelle (Courtyard City Halls, Markt 7) are easily reached by the accessible centre shuttle bus. You can find more information here.

  More info on the accessibility of TRIBRU24's other installations can be found in De Lijn's route planner.

• Parking spaces for disabled people

  Bruges has reserved free parking spaces for people with disabilities. For this, you need a 'parking card for people with a disability'.

  An overview of the available spaces can be found in the parking guide published by the City of Bruges, or via the site navigeer en parkeer (in Dutch).

  Below, you will find the address of the nearest parking spaces for people with a disability for each installation:
  

  • Iván Argote – Who? (Speelmansrei): Beenhouwerstraat 2
  • Bangkok Project Studio – The tower of balance (opposite King Albert I Park): Boeveriestraat 18 en 48
  • Mariana Castillo Deball – Firesong for the bees, a tree of clay (Sebrechts Park): Korte Lane 12, Beenhouwerstraat 2, Oude Zak 21
  • Mona Hatoum – Full Swing (garden PZ Onzelievevrouw): Edgard De Smedtplantsoen, Magdalenastraat
  • Ivan Morison – Star of the Sea (Zeebrugge beach): Londenstraat opposite Zeedijk
  • Norell/Rodhe – Raamland (square Sint-Obrechtsstraat): Westmeers 54
  • Shingo Masuda + Katsuhisa Otsubo Architects – empty drop (St. John's Hospital Park): Westmeers 54
  • SO–IL – Common Thread (garden Capuchin Monastery): Boeveriestraat 18 en 48
  • Studio Ossidiana – Earthsea Pavilion (Hof Bladelin): Naaldenstraat 20
  • Adrien Tirtiaux – Under the Carpet (Zonnekemeers – Professor Dr. J. Sebrechtsstraat): Professor Dr. J. Sebrechtsstraat
  • Traumnovelle – The Joyful Apocalypse (courtyard City Halls): Philipstockstraat
  • Sumayya Vally – Grains of Paradise (Minnewater Bridge): Professor Dr. J. Sebrechtsstraat

• Assistance dogs

  Assistance dogs are allowed everywhere.