Agenda

Full calendar

Salut James

Wed 28 May 2025 to Sun 7 Sep 2025
A night-time burglary, three stolen Ensors and a mysterious thief who disturbs the police with cryptic notes. In the expo Salut James, dive into the true story of the art robbery that rocked Ostend in 1978. Podcast maker Ronald Verhaegen and journalist Stefaan Kerger reconstruct the most exciting…

Illustrated War '45

Sat 15 Mar 2025 to Tue 11 Nov 2025
This exhibition focuses on the events of the last year of the war, 1945. The Ardennes Offensive, the liberation of the (concentration) camps, the hunger winter and the further course of the war in the Netherlands, the use of the ‘secret’ V-weapons, the death of Hitler, the end of the Third Reich…

Fairy Tales

Kursaal Oostende
Sat 28 Jun 2025 to Sun 31 Aug 2025
This summer, enjoy an unforgettable virtual reality journey for the whole family! Fairy Tales, a unique Virtual Reality exhibition, immerses young and old in the magical world of their most beloved children's fairy tales. From 28 June to 31 August at Kursaal Oostende, you can literally step into…

It’s Sunday at sea!

Venetiaanse Gaanderijen
Sat 28 Jun 2025 to Sun 22 Feb 2026
What draws people to the sea again and again? What do they hope to find or feel there? The allure is timeless. Artists try to capture that feeling – their own longing, but that of others too. Ostend expanded to become the ‘Queen of Seaside Resorts’ in the 19th century and is still the place…

Museumnocturnes 2025

Sat 5 Jul 2025 to Sat 30 Aug 2025
Tijdens de zomervakantie openen de Oostendse musea elke zaterdagavond hun deuren van 18.00 tot 22.00 uur. Ontdek expo’s in de rust van de avond, volg een rondleiding of geniet van verrassende extra’s. Elke week een ander museum, telkens helemaal gratis. Zin in een portie cultuur bij…

Atlantikwall Raversyde

Atlantikwall Raversyde is een van de best bewaarde restanten van de Duitse verdedigingslinie, met meer dan zestig bunkers, open en ondergrondse gangen, observatieposten en geschutstellingen.

Japanese Garden

Take a stroll in this magnificent 'Kaiyusschiki-style' garden and marvel at the various landscapes which unfold before your eyes. No-one would expect this oasis of tranquillity and contemplation so near to the sea and Oostende's vibrant city centre. The Japanese Garden is open during weekends …

Ostend City Museum

The museum tells you Ostend's fascinating life story and also casts light on its future. A host of objects, posters, documents and multimedia applications reveal the secrets behind the development of the city, its tourism, fishing industry and shipping. Discover the Ostend of former times and the…

Het Groen Lint

Ostend has more to offer than just the sea. Did you know that Ostend has a surprisingly green city edge? To strengthen that green city edge, the City had a master plan developed to connect all green zones and landscapes: The Green Ribbon. This green ribbon forms an attractive 35 km loop for…

The Crystal Ship - Street Art in Ostend

Discover 'The Crystal Ship' in Ostend: renowned and world-famous artists make enormous paintings on walls as well as fantastic art installations in open spaces.

Ensor walk

Download the app and take the brand-new Ensor-themed walk to visit all the locations that were significant to the life and work of James Ensor. You will be given information and will be able to see things for yourself at each of these places, using the latest high-tech. Young and older Ensor fans…

Provincial domain Atlantikwall Raversyde

The Provincial Domain Atlantikwall Raversyde is a unique natural area located close to the sea. A diverse landscape invites visitors to a lovely walk. Raversijde is also a home to a rescue centre for birds and wild animals (VOC). Go On Time Travel (+6) in the provincial domain Atlantikwall…

The Crystal Ship wandeling met Bazaar Trottoir

Sinds 2016 doopte The Crystal Ship Oostende om tot één van de belangrijkste Street Art steden. Bazaar Trottoir neemt je graag mee door het stadscentrum op zoek naar de mooiste kunstwerken in open lucht.

Sluizencomplex Plassendale

In the 17th century, the canals Ghent-Ostend and Oudenburg-Nieuwpoort were dug. These two canals were connected in the Plassendale district. Because of different sea currents, two locks were built, one of which was later moved to the Slijkens district, closer to Ostend. The cute Spanish toll…

Mu.ZEE - Art museum at the seaside

Closed due to renovation works until 2028. Once a department store, now Mu.ZEE. Mu.ZEE is the only place in the world that focuses on modern and contemporary art in Belgium, from 1880 to the present day. Mu.ZEE would like to share its iconic building, its beautiful collection and the growing…

Floral Clock

Floral Clock. A special creation in which a total number of about 20 000 plants are used to form a unique palette of colour. The date - made of flowers - is adjusted every day during the summer months.

Maria Hendrikapark

The Maria Hendrikapark is an area of about 45 ha situated south of the city centre. The park has a variety of different ponds, open grass areas, two playgrounds and the Koninginnehof with cafetaria and restaurant, rowing boats, pedal boats, a traffic park, baby-carts and a miniature golf course. It…

Leopold Park

Leopold Park was laid out in 1860 on the old town fortifications. The beautiful bandstand was inaugurated in 1885. The world-famous floral clock was placed there in 1963, where it still stands now.

Sea excursions - Boat trips

Enjoy sun, sea and water! Take part in a lovely boat trip on the sea with Captain Blue from the port of Ostend. Enjoy the real sea air, it has been proven to be very beneficial for different aspects of your health. So, 100% vitamin SEA. You cruise along sailing yachts and coastal fishermen in…

Venetian Galleries

In 1900, Belgian King Leopold II commissioned architect Henri Maquet to design the first royal gallery: an L-shaped, closed and covered walkway between the royal villa and a large octagonal salon. Nowadays it is known by the name 'Venetian Galleries', referring to Venice's classicist architecture…

The Vicognebos – Ostend

A little over 10 ha, Ostend's Vicogne wood consists of young woodland and polder meadows, while the Vicognezwin retention pond, an old antitank trench and the Spuikom basin provide the area with much-needed water. A winding walk will give you a glimpse of the open polder grasslands while taking you…

The Geuzenbos – Ostend

Once upon a time in the 17th century the woodland here was a castle domain. Now, only some tree trunks indicate where the building once stood. A wood with some history then, making it perfect for a walk!

Walk 'Out and about in Ostend'

Ostend has all the advantages of a city, without the disadvantages. It is a pocket-sized city, everything is easy to reach. All you need is a pair of comfortable walking shoes and this walking map to see all the sights of Ostend. And with these two detailed walks you are already halfway there. You…

Guided tour ‘Stories and shrimp’

If we didn't serve our guide the odd portion of 'gernoazen' now and then, he would just keep on talking, sharing stories about Ostend. So that is exactly what we'll be doing on this tasty tour. We will stop now and then to sample some shrimp - and you get to taste them too: shrimp fresh from the…

Guided ‘Visserskaaiwandeling’ walk

Participants can learn more about some fascinating aspects of current and historic port and fishing activities during this salty walk, which includes a visit to the former training ship 'Mercator', the last Iceland trawler O.129 'Amandine', the DAB Vloot office building, the North Sea Aquarium, the…

Guided walk on Oosteroever

The current port channel gradually developed at the end of the 16th century in the run-up to the famous Siege of Ostend (1601-1604). Since then, Oosteroever has often periodically played a role in military history, with Ostend often serving as a war port. Various relicts still attest to this,…