Liberation Garden
WW II museum in Leopoldsburg
In a region where some 100,000 fallen from more than a dozen nations have their final resting places, Liberation Garden lets you experience the Second World War in a unique way.
Liberation Garden lets you experience the Second World War in a unique way. Did you know that tens of thousands of German soldiers exercised at the Beverlo Camp while thousands of political prisoners were locked up at the same time? Did you know that between the canals around Leopoldsburg, the Allied liberation threatened to get stuck? That this is why Market Garden, one of the most daring operations of World War II, was launched from here? And did you know that from this region, flying daredevils also killed Nazi Germany?
Fly a Spitfire across the Siegfried Line and into the heart of Nazi Germany. And don’t forget to touch the outstretched hands of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.
It will literally make them come alive with their moving stories.
In touch with history!
Practical information
INFO ON OUR MUSEUM
Adress
3970 Leopoldsburg (Belgium)
tel.: +32(0)-11 29.38.00 (during office hours)
Do you navigate with GPS? Enter the Merkemlaan parking lot as your destination.
Opening hours
The museum is open every day from 10am to 5pm. An average visit lasts 2 hours, so it’s best to start your visit no later than 3 pm.
Closed on Mondays (excluding holidays, bridge days and Flemish school holidays). Open on all holidays except January 1, Easter Sunday and December 25.
Liberation Garden is exceptionally closed on March 1, 2024 due to work on our network.
The annual closure falls in 2024 from Dec. 2, 2024 to Dec. 20, 2024.
In 2025, we will be closed from September 1 to 21, 2025 and from December 8 to 21, 2025.
How to get there + parking
Leopoldsburg is very easily accessible by bicycle, car, train and bus. The train station is barely a 10-minute walk from Liberation Garden. There is a Hoppin stop (Liberation Garden) near the museum.
By bicycle: there is a roofed bicycle shed at the site entrance.
By car: there is plenty of parking available in the vicinity of Liberation Garden. The most convenient parking spots are on ‘Koningin Louisa-Marialaan’ and ‘Merkemlaan’. Parking directly in front of the museum is reserved for visitors with disabilities.
Buses: a kiss and ride zone is provided in front of the Liberation Garden entrance. View the parking plan for (tour) buses here.
gift voucher
Purchase a gift certificate to visit Liberation Garden at our front desk or order it online.
Shop
Our museum shop is the last stop during your visit to Liberation Garden.
You will find a wide range of high-quality, original and sustainable merchandise, from books on World War II to clothing by local designers. You will also find the very best local produce and Splendid beer brewed especially for the museum by a local microbrewery.
Rates
| Adults | € 15,00 | |
| Children < 6 years | Free | |
| Children 6 – 18 years | € 6,00 | |
| Groups ( from 10 persons) Not combinable with other rates except the Museum Pass |
€ 10,00 | |
| Students and visitors with disabilities | € 8,00 | |
| School groups from outside Leopoldsburg | € 4,00 | |
| School groups from Leopoldsburg | € 2,00 | |
| Teacher’s card | € 7,50 | |
| museum pass | Free | |
| Senior citizens (65+) | € 12,00 | |
| Residents from Leopoldsburg* |
€ 12,00
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| *Are you in possession of a Leisure Pass, then you get 50% discount on the regular price: 7.50 euros for adults, 3 euros for children 6-18 years. | ||
Our museum is wheelchair accessible. There are also 2 wheelchairs available in the building.
Tickets
Ticket information
Book your visit
Prebook your tickets. . This way, you can be sure to experience everything in the very best conditions and start your visit smoothly.
Advance reservations are not required. Usually you can also buy tickets at the counter at the time of your visit. Preferably, you pay by Bancontact, Mastercard, Maestro, VISA or Culture Vouchers from Edenred, but you can also pay in cash.
Individual tickets
Coming alone, with friends or family? Groups of 10 or more make reservations through contact@liberationgarden.be
.
Group visits and guided tours
Liberation Garden’s audio tour is an excellent option for group visits. This provides in-depth information about the exhibits. Plan on around 2 hours for your visit.
If you would like to book a guide for a tour of the museum or its surroundings, you can do this of course! Tours with a guide (ENG, FR, DE) cost 90 euros for the first 2 hours and 45 euros for each additional hour. The maximum group size for guided tours is 20 people. There is no minimum group size.
You can book and cancel a guide at the latest 14 days before the visit. After this, there is no refund.
From 10 people upwards you pay the group rate (10 euros per person), otherwise the individual rates apply.The group rate can only be combined with the Museum Pass.
Securing a guided tour or group visit to Liberation Garden can be done by sending an email to contact@liberationgarden.be with the following information:
– Name of group/organization
– (billing) address
– name, e-mail address, phone number of contact person
– Number of participants in rate
– Desired date and time for the visit
– Do you want one or more guides to visit Liberation Garden or do you prefer to visit the museum with the audio guide?
– Which tour do you choose?
- Liberation Garden tour: 80 euros/guide (2 hours)
- Liberation Garden tour (2h) + military cemeteries (1h): 120 euros/guide (3 hours)
- Tour of Military Cemeteries: 80 euros/guide (2 hours)
- Walk Garnizoensstad Leopoldsburg: 80 euros/guide (2 hours)
- Bus tour active military camp: visit the firing ranges and the Execution Site (Secret Cemetery), the military cemeteries and the train ditch. Conditions: the tour is only possible with a bus in which the guide can board and must be requested at least one month in advance: 80 euros/guide (2 hours).
Liberation Pass
This pass costs € 35 and allows one year of admission to our museum during opening hours.
Volunteers and Guides
Liberation Garden is always looking for enthusiastic volunteers and guides. You can sign up using the button below.
Schools and Youth Associations
School and youth groups are welcome to visit during the museum’s regular opening times on Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, including public holidays. The museum provides tour guides for all school and youth groups. Guided tours take 2 hours, so please plan for your visit to start at no later than 3 pm. Tours with a guide (ENG, FR, DE) cost 90 euros for the first 2 hours and 45 euros for each additional hour. The maximum group size for guided tours is 20 people. There is no minimum group size. You can book and cancel a guide at the latest 14 days before the visit. After this, there is no refund.
Youth group participants between the ages of 6 and 18 years can purchase tickets for 6 euros per person. The rate for school groups from outside Leopoldsburg is 4 euros per person (for school groups from Leopoldsburg, the rate is 2 euros per person). This rate includes 1 accompanying adult per 15 pupils/youth group members. Additional companions pay the same rate as the youth.
Booking a visit with a youth group can be done by sending an email to contact@liberationgarden.be with the following information:
– Name of school/youth association
– billing address:
– name, e-mail address, phone number of contact person
– Number of students:
– Number of supervisors:
– age of students:
– Desired date and time:
– Which tour do you choose?
- Liberation Garden tour: 80 euros/guide (2 hours)
- Liberation Garden tour (2h) + military cemeteries (1h): 120 euros/guide (3 hours)
- Tour of Military Cemeteries: 80 euros/guide (2 hours)
- Walk Garnizoensstad Leopoldsburg: 80 euros/guide (2 hours)
- Bus tour active military camp: visit the firing ranges and the Execution Site (Secret Cemetery), the military cemeteries and the train ditch. Conditions: the tour is only possible with a bus in which the guide can board and must be requested at least one month in advance: 80 euros/guide (2 hours).
THE MUSEUM
What is liberation garden?
September 1944. The Second World War is entering its final stage. In the face of heavy German resistance, the liberation of Western Europe unexpectedly bogs down between the canals around Leopoldsburg.
Field Marshal Montgomery devises a bold plan to end the war before Christmas and bring the Nazi regime to its knees. Exhausted from four years of brutal occupation and fierce fighting, the civilian population yearns to be freed. Will the tide finally turn?
liberation Garden
Liberation Garden literally and figuratively puts you ‘in touch with history’!
Liberation Garden brings history close enough to touch. The museum focuses on ordinary people and their personal stories of living through extraordinary circumstances. You’ll step into the shoes of occupying troops, resistance fighters and liberators, run for cover during a bombardment and sit in on a renowned general’s briefing. To top it off, you can fly aboard a genuine Spitfire in our thrilling virtual reality experience. For children, there’s an adventurous mission packed with exciting assignments. And you’ll meet historical individuals who share their personal stories with you when you touch their hands.
News
from and about our museum
Liberation Garden news
– Very proud of our 20,000 visitors since our museum opened in May. Watch the report on TVL here.
– A fine article appeared today on the Class website. Check out the article at this link, On class trip to Liberation Garden in Leopoldsburg – Class
• Last Thursday 27 July we received witnesses of the Liberation in Leopoldsburg and its surrounding areas. This way, we can write down their stories and preserve them to never forget. It turned out to be a particularly beautiful afternoon, with many thanks to the witnesses and volunteers. Watch the report from TVL here.
• The Market Garden Cycling Route you can find here.An article about it has just appeared on the LRE Foundation page.
• Recordings made at our museum can be viewed here, starting at minute 06:46.
– We have also appeared in LEF, read this article via this link.
Support US
Become a friend of Liberation Garden
Support our museum, buy a Liberation pass!
A Liberation Pass costs € 35 per year and gives you unlimited visits to the museum during opening hours and free entry to all our museum events.
Make a donation
You can also support us by making an individual or corporate donation or by leaving a gift to the museum in your will. For more information, please contact us:contact@liberationgarden.be.
