Museum voor Industriele Archeologie en Textiel (MIAT)

Museum voor Industriele Archeologie en Textiel (MIAT) Review

The Industrial Archaeology and Textiles Museum occupies a Lancashire-style textile mill—appropriately enough, as it holds the famous spinning mule spirited from Lancashire, England to Flanders by Gent native Lieven Bauwens, sparking a rival textile industry. The "mule-jenny" can be seen on the museum's fifth floor, from which there are stunning views of the rooftops and spires of Gent. This floor is also the best place to start following the exhibits on the Industrial Revolution and subsequent technological innovations. The cotton mill area is filled with spinning wheels and weaving machines; there are demonstrations every Tuesday and Thursday. (At other times, ask one of the staff.) You can pick up an English-language explanatory brochure at the front desk. The gift shop sells items spun and woven on-site. The museum also has a wonderful little Cinepalace, a theater showing classic films on the second Sunday of every month. In the garden in front of the museum stands a statue of Pierre de Geyter, a Gent native who composed the "Internationale," the song of the international labor movement. Red flowers are placed at his feet every May 1.