In September 2025, he Flemish Minister of Culture, Caroline Gennez (Vooruit), has officially recognised six collection-managing organisations: Archief Lier, the University Archives of KU Leuven, Kunstenbibliotheek & Muziekbibliotheek in Ghent, Liberation Garden in Leopoldsburg (Bourg-Léopold) HEY Museum in Knokke-Heist and Kazerne Dossin in Mechelen (Malines, Mechlin)
The recognition, awarded in the form of a quality label, confirms that these institutions manage cultural heritage to a high professional standard.
They are the first organisations to receive the newly designed recognition marks, created to increase the visibility of accredited archives, museums and heritage libraries.
The quality label recognised cultural archive institution of the Flemish Government has been granted to Archief Lier and the University Archives of KU Leuven. The designation recognised heritage library of the Flemish Government has been awarded to Kunstenbibliotheek & Muziekbibliotheek. The label recognised museum of the Flemish Government has been given to Liberation Garden, HEY Museum and Kazerne Dossin.
These quality labels are based on international minimum standards for professional heritage management. They serve both as a mark of appreciation and as a form of support for the organisations concerned. The labels highlight the quality of an institution’s work, safeguard it, and encourage further improvement.
The granting of such a label follows a thorough screening procedure that assesses all aspects of an organisation’s operations. The designation indicates that a museum, cultural archive institution or heritage library manages its collection responsibly and to a high standard, and that it works professionally.
In Flanders and Brussels, 103 heritage organisations currently hold a quality label: 22 archives are recognised as cultural archive institutions, 10 libraries as heritage libraries, and 71 museums as recognised museums of the Flemish Government.
At the same time as announcing the new recognitions, the Minister of Culture has introduced new recognition marks for accredited museums, cultural archives and heritage libraries.
These new symbols are intended to make the cultural heritage policy of the Flemish Community more visible and recognisable. They are aligned with the overall visual identity of the Flemish Government and provide a uniform style. The consistent recognition marks increase the visibility of accredited organisations, making it easier for the public to recognise and value them.
Protected masterpieces and recognised intangible heritage will also receive new marks in the same visual style. This allows for consistent communication about the recognition and protection of cultural heritage, both within the sector and to the wider public.
The new recognition marks will be introduced and distributed gradually.