Leuven welcomes to you to the first museum created for – and by – children

Not content with just enjoying the work of others, two youngsters in the Belgian city of Leuven have been the creative force behind a new children’s museum. 

Bran and Rhune, two local children, had a dream to create a children’s history museum in their home city, and so they took their idea to the city council.

City leaders, impressed with the youngsters’ direct approach, started working with them on the project, and the result is a new temporary attraction , Expeditie Tijdsprong – or ‘exhibition time leap’ – which is in the city library.

Lalynn Wadera, council leader for education, said: “Children who come to the city with a dream show entrepreneurial spirit and we like to give that a boost from the city. Bran and Rhune have set up a project from their passion and have learned so much over the past few months. Children can also learn and grow outside the classroom.”

Under the heading ‘Museummakers’, the city collected historically inspired works of art by children during the COVID period along the themes of ancient Greece and Rome, along with the Vikings, antiquities and the Middle Ages.

‘Children who come with a dream show entrepreneurial spirit’

Various local schools and illustrators have contributed to the exhibition, which opened to the public on 27 June. The attraction will be available for all to visit in its current location until the end of the summer holidays, before it goes on tour across the city.

Dirk Vansina, council leader for youth, said: “Children and young people can always contact the youth service with their questions and ideas, and we are ready to support and help realise their ideas wherever possible. The initiative comes from the children themselves, but our youth service provides the necessary guidance.

“It is wonderful to see how we have been able to give shape to Bran and Rhune’s dream idea. This is how we put our slogan ‘Making the city together’ into practice.”