Museum Becomes a Study Hall for Belgian Students

Belfort Bruges

Due to COVID-19, urban spaces in cities across the world have been instantly repurposed to serve the needs of citizens. Bruges' Belfort Museum opened its doors to students needing study spaces.

As a result of travel and social distancing restrictions and changing work and life habits in the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen urban spaces being used in different ways to address the needs of the community and the Belfort in Bruges is no different.

Belfort Bruges
Belfort Bruges. Photo Matthew Waring via Unsplash

With parents working from home and schools and libraries closed, it isn’t easy for students to find a good study space right now. But the Belfort, dating back to the 13th-century, has been empty of its usual tourists and visitors and its large halls offer the possibility of socially distant study. In the beautiful and historic halls the Belfort can accommodate up to 200 students in need of a calm study environment being given priority.

It’s interesting to see how public squares, parking spaces and buildings have instantly been repurposed in cities across the world to take on new functions during the pandemic. The COVID-19 outbreak shows that cities are much more flexible and adaptive than we might think.