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House of Metallurgy and Industry, a striking immersion into the heart of industrial ingenuity

The House of Metallurgy and Industry invites visitors to travel back in time and explore four centuries of industrial adventures, where iron, cast iron and zinc shaped landscapes, professions and lives. From the entrance, the setting sets the tone: here, industry is not just explained, it is felt. The site immerses visitors in a period when Belgium occupied a central place in the history of metallurgy, with an intensity that surprises and leaves a lasting impression.

Many visitors leave with the same feeling: that of having discovered a heritage that is as impressive as it is little known.

The former forge, a spectacular immersion

The heart of the visit lies in the former forge, a space where the atmosphere is immediately striking. Pre-industrial machines and tools, once used to manufacture and work iron, are carefully brought together here. A bright red light catches the eye and evokes the activity of a working blast furnace, instantly transporting visitors to a time when production was artisanal and seasonal.

The centrepiece of the route, the oldest blast furnace in Belgium, dating from 1693 and reconstructed on site, impresses through its presence and authenticity. Around it, the colours of iron, cast iron and wood dominate, reinforcing the feeling of complete immersion.

From the forge to the Industrial Revolution

The visit continues with another giant of industrial history: the authentic Ambresin steam engine, once used in a sugar refinery. Its size and complexity testify to the extraordinary technical progress of the Industrial Revolution. It embodies the decisive shift toward mechanised production, heralding profound economic and social transformations.

This contrast between the pre-industrial forge and the steam engine helps visitors understand the rapid evolution of techniques, as well as the human ingenuity at work through the centuries.

Faces and lives behind industry

The House of Metallurgy also gives an essential place to the women and men who brought these industries to life. The Saint-Paul de Sinçay albums, presented here through copies, offer striking portraits of workers created as early as 1868 by the Société des Mines et Fonderies de zinc de la Vieille-Montagne.

These images remind us that behind every technical innovation lie personal stories, professions, skills and a collective memory that remains very present today. Enthusiasts, as well as former metallurgical workers, rediscover familiar references, while younger visitors explore a world that often comes as a revelation.

A heritage that sheds light on the present

The museum also offers a documentation centre, accessible by appointment, allowing visitors to deepen their knowledge of scientific and technical heritage, metallurgy and zinc production. This link with research strengthens the connection between past and present, inviting reflection on the current activities of iron and zinc transformation in Wallonia.

The House of Metallurgy and Industry thus succeeds in inspiring both wonder and curiosity, showing how this industrial past continues to illuminate our contemporary world.

Opening times

All year round, Tuesday to Friday: 9.00-17.00 • From 1/04 to 31/10: also Saturday and Sunday: 14.00-18.00. Closed on Mondays, public holidays and 24, 25, 31/12 and 1/01.

Price

adults €5 • 60+, students: €4.50 • children (6-18): €4 • children (<6): free

Tour length

1.5 hrs

Group

Price adults €5 • 60+, students: €4.50 • children (6-18): €4 • children (<6): free of charge

Guided tour Supplement for guide (EN, FR, NL, DE). Contact info@mmil.be

More information • Cafeteria • Birthday party (maximum 16 children).

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