Frequently asked questions

For a self-guided group visit of 20 persons or more, please contact the reservation service of Kazerne Dossin.

Free visits for groups of up to 75 pupils are possible as an exception, following our approval. Please contact reservaties@kazernedossin.eu for this.

We would ask you to prepare the visit thoroughly, possibly with your own educational material. Self-guiding is not allowed. Please provide sufficient supervision to ensure that the visit proceeds smoothly. One teacher can participate free of charge per group of 25 pupils.

The image bank is set up to search in increasing detail. Are you looking for a person (a combination of a first and last name), or a description or title that has two or more words scattered throughout? Type the first term into the Enter search term… search bar at the top of your screen, and then press enter or click the black button with the magnifying glass at the end of the search bar. Then add a second, third, fourth… search term in the same way.

For example, if you are searching for ‘Michel Goldberg’. You type in ‘Goldberg’ as a search term and find hundreds of results. Add ‘Michel’ as a search term. All the documents about ‘Michel Goldberg’ appear.

Note: There could be more than one person with the same name. You should therefore always check the date of birth on the documents.

Always remember to clear your filters before entering a new search. This is because the image bank will remember your previous assignment and will combine it with the new one.

Specific combination of words

You are searching for a specific combination of terms, such as ‘Association of Jews in Belgium’. Type the search query in full and at one go into the Enter search term… search bar at the top of your screen, and then press enter or click the black button with the magnifying glass at the end of the search bar. Only results with this specific word combination will then appear.

Always remember to clear your filters before entering a new search. This is because the image bank will remember your previous assignment and will combine it with the new one.

You may always download a working copy of an image from the image bank for your own use. Click on the down arrow below the desired image. You can now save this image to your computer. In case of a collection, you can manually save the cover photo to your computer.

Note: Downloading a working copy does not automatically imply that you have permission to reproduce or publish a piece. This requires permission from the copyright holder.

Click on the image you want to view in more detail. A view will appear in which you can zoom in. Close the enlarged view by clicking the grey X at the top right of the page.

The alternating guest exhibitions can be viewed on the fourth floor, and you can read all about the current exhibition in our calendar.

The search term you entered is displayed as a dark grey label in the Enter search term… search bar at the top of your screen. Click on the X next to your search term to delete it. You can uncheck filters in the column under the Filter header on the left of the main page.

It depends on which archival collection you want to access. You can consult the Dossin Barracks deportation lists and portraits of deportees on any computer (including at home). The contents of the other collections can only be consulted in the Kazerne Dossin reading room and at affiliated partner institutions. A complete list of these organisations can be found here. You must complete a research declaration for each consultation in each of these reading rooms.

The column titled Filter on the left side of the main page contains a number of filters. You can select certain categories and keywords as search terms. Combining certain keywords can lead to different results. For example, combining the “Anti-Jewish measures” category and the “Identification measures” keyword will lead to results on the registration of Jews in Belgium during the occupation. Combining the “Pre-war Jewish life” category and the “Identification measures” keyword produces results on pre-war passports and migration documents.

You can also combine filters related to categories and keywords with a free search or with filters about the record type. 

Always remember to clear your filters before entering a new search. This is because the image bank will remember your previous assignment and will combine it with the new one.

Our temporary exhibitions are scheduled far in advance by a Temporary Exhibition Steering Committee. Please submit your proposal via this page. The steering committee will then examine your proposal, and will contact you.

We have consciously opted for small groups in order to ensure quality and comfort during the tour. In addition, smaller groups can move through the exhibition more easily, and provide the guide with more opportunities to explain the multimedia applications. 

Because there is no such thing as the ‘Roma’. Each individual from this diverse group has their own identity. In addition, this name was unjustly given a negative connotation, which we do not want to encourage. Stereotyped ideas have a bad influence on our society.

To browse through your results

Click on the title of one of your search results. At the top right of your screen you will find the buttons previous result and next result. These allow you to navigate between your results. The image and the full description appear for each of the results. Click on the image to see the enlarged view. 

Returning to the overview

You will find the Back to search results button at the top left of your screen. You can use this button to return to your overview with all the results. From the enlarged view of an image, you can return to the full description of that image by clicking on the X at the top right. 

There are parking spaces around the museum, and there is also an underground parking lot, Parking Tinel (Edgard Tinnellaan 6) only a 5-minute walk from the museum. For more information, take a look at the page with the practical information.

The visit is mainly carried out without an audio guide, but you will need an audio device for the introductory film and for a number of films on the second floor. You can borrow the audio device free-of-charge.

You can visit the museum from 9 am on weekdays (except Wednesday, when the museum is closed) and from 9.30 am during the weekend. We close the doors at 5 pm. We will notify you that the museum is about to close a quarter of an hour before closing time.

We offer a wide range of options for groups. Please refer to the offers for primary schools, secondary schools, higher education, and adult groups.

Click on the title of a search result. This could be a collection or an item. The full description then opens. 

You can buy a museum pass at the counter, have it extended, or can obtain a replacement if it has been lost.

The museum building was designed by bOb Van Reeth and his architect firm AWG in Antwerp. You can read more about the architecture on the ‘museum’ page.

If the number of results is too high, type an additional search term into the Enter search term… search bar at the top of your screen, and then press enter or click the black button with the magnifying glass at the end of the search bar. The image bank will then combine all the terms entered, so that your search will be refined. 

Always remember to clear your filters before entering a new search. This is because the image bank will remember your previous assignment and will combine it with the new one.

The museum is fully wheelchair-accessible, and the accompanying person has free entry. You can borrow a wheelchair free of charge. Reservations are recommended, however, and can be made via reservaties@kazernedossin.eu (at a minimum of five days in advance).

Animals, with the exception of blind guide dogs, are not allowed in the museum. 

The museum is easy to reach, thanks to its central location in Mechelen. If you are arriving by car, train or touring coach, then please check our route instructions for detailed information.

The image bank compares your search term to words in the title and content description of a collection or item. The results that appear are thereby collections and items in which your search term appears in the title or the content description. You can scroll through the results to see the results in more detail. 

Always remember to clear your filters before entering a new search. This is because the image bank will remember your previous assignment, and will combine it with the new one.

You can pay on the spot via bancontact or by invoice. The invoice will be sent to the school after the visit.

A search can yield hundreds of results. These are sorted depending on the option chosen in the Sort by drop-down menu at the top right. You can organise them in various ways: by most relevant, by most recently modified (ascending or descending), by title (ascending or descending), by most recently archived (date of addition to the image bank, ascending or descending), by content date (ascending or descending) and by original filename (ascending or descending).

Tip: The easiest way to sort is by original filename. The relevant collections thereby appear first, followed by the relevant items such as photographs. 

At the moment, you cannot visit the museum in the evening.

It’s not possible to have lunch (in a group) at Kazerne Dossin, as the museum does not have a museum café or a lunch area. If you’d like to have lunch with your class in Mechelen, you can do so in The Atrium, which is near the museum. This space can be used free of charge, subject to purchase of one consumption (per person). Contact details: 015 33 03 17 or info@theatrium.be, max. 80 people. Location: near the Romboutstoren.

The reproduction of images from the image bank requires the prior written permission of the copyright holder. When you open a collection or a piece by clicking on the title, the full description will appear. The copyright holder is listed in the Reproduction rights field. For more information on how to contact the copyright holder, please email archives@kazernedossin.eu. If an image belongs to the Kazerne Dossin collection, you can contact us at this same email address to request the reproduction rights. 

You are free to go outside for some fresh air during your visit, and can resume the visit some time later. Please inform the receptionist about this.

You are allowed to photograph the permanent collection.

Click on the Collections tab in the dark grey column on the left. An overview of all available collections appears in the image bank. You can organise the collections in various ways. To do this, click on the Sort by drop-down menu at the top right.

If necessary, type an additional search term in the Enter search term… field, and press Enter or click on the search icon at the back of the search field (black button with a magnifying glass). You can also further refine your search by selecting the desired filters in the column under the header Filter on the left of the main page.

The number of results will decrease depending on your added search terms. Click on the photo accompanying a collection to view an enlarged image. Click on the title of a collection to see the description of that collection.

Always remember to clear your filters before entering a new search. This is because the image bank will remember your previous assignment and will combine it with the new one.

No, this is not allowed. We only work with our own guides who have fully completed our guide training.

We sell two types of gift vouchers, with values of €25 or €10. 

No, it’s not necessary to book in advance if you come alone, with your family, or with a group of less than 15 persons.

You cannot use discount cards or free cards via the webshop. You must therefore choose the standard rate and then the ‘Pay in the museum’ option. We can then grant you the discount on site. Please don’t forget to show your discount card at the reception. Payment can only be made via bancontact.

You will receive a group discount from a group of 15 people. Instead of €12 per person, you will then pay €10 per person for the permanent exhibition (and €14 instead of €16 for a combi ticket).

You can safely leave your belongings in a locker in the cloakroom. We also have group lockers. The person responsible for the group retains the key during the visit.

You can cancel a guided tour by contacting the Kazerne Dossin booking office. If you do this at least 72 hours in advance, you do not have to pay the fee for the guide. Admission tickets do not have to be paid for in all cases.

Every third Sunday of the month, you can join a guided tour through the permanent expo at 2.30 pm (duration: 2 hours, price: €12, under-21 years: €6). You can visit the temporary exhibition with a guide on the first Sunday of the month (duration: 90 minutes, price €12, under-21: €6), and can visit the Memorial with a guide on the second Sunday of the month (duration: 60 minutes, price €12, under-21 years: €6). Please book these tours online or via reservaties@kazernedossin.eu.

You can do this in our webshop. Check out all the options we offer and click on your choice. Are you having any problems? If so, please send a mail to reservaties@kazernedossin.eu.

If you have a valuable object concerning WWII, please contact our researchers by email on archives@kazernedossin.eu or by telephone +32 (0)15 29 06 60.