Belgium‘s national railway operator NMBS / SNCB is preparing to permanently withdraw its nearly 50-year-old I6 coaches from service, bringing an end to a fleet that has been running since 1977. I6 coaches were (are) laid out in a corridor + compartments set-up. A cosy and romantic design philosophy which is nowadays very rare.
Tag: Mechelen
ANTWERP | KMSKA museum presents major retrospective of Belgian sculptor Philip Aguirre y Otegui, from 3 October 2026 to 17 January 2027
The Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA) will present a major retrospective of Belgian artist Philip Aguirre y Otegui from 3 October 2026 to 17 January 2027. ‘Art and the world‘ will bring together monumental sculptures and smaller works spanning his career from the 1980s to the present.
MECHELEN | Kazerne Dossin to unveil new permanent Holocaust and human rights exhibition by 2030
The Kazerne Dossin Holocaust memorial, museum and research centre in Mechelen (Malines, Mechlin) will open a completely renewed permanent exhibition in 2030. The plans were announced on International Holocaust Remembrance Day in the presence of Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele (N-VA) and Flemish minister of Culture Caroline Gennez (Vooruit).
NMBS / SNCB’s centenary train visits Schaerbeek (29–30 August), Liège (12–13 September) and Antwerp (10–11 October)
NMBS / SNCB will mark its centenary with a unique travelling exhibition bringing together almost a century of Belgian railway history in a single 300-metre-long train. Featuring historic locomotives and carriages spanning from the 1930s to the latest generation of rolling stock, the exhibition will visit Schaerbeek / Schaarbeek in Brussels, Liège-Guillemins, and Antwerp-Central Railway…
Belgium tourism reaches new heights as record visitor numbers underline the country’s growing appeal
Today is the National Holiday of Belgium. On 21 July 1831, Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha took the constitutional oath to become King of the Belgians.
NMBS / SNCB turns 100 on 23 July and holds nationwide celebrations in the coming months
Belgium‘s national railway operator NMBS / SNCB will celebrate a major milestone next week as it marks the 100th anniversary of its creation. On 23 July 2026, exactly one century after the Belgian Parliament approved the law establishing the railway company in 1926, passengers and railway staff will be treated to special anniversary activities, while…
First Mechelen Canal Pride on Saturday 25 July
Mechelen will make Belgian LGBTQIA+ history on Saturday 25 July 2026 when it hosts the country’s first-ever Canal Pride. Inspired by Amsterdam‘s famous canal parade but on a much smaller scale, the event will see decorated boats and canoes travel along the city’s Binnendijle waterway in a celebration of diversity, visibility and inclusion.
Antwerp remains the top conference destination in Flanders
Antwerp remains the top conference destination in Flanders – and the wider region – and continues to impress with strong experiences, accessibility and professional support. New large-scale research from Visit Flanders, conducted between September 2024 and July 2025, confirms the international appeal of Flemish conference cities including Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, Leuven, Mechelen and Ostend.
FLANDERS | Six heritage organisations receive new official recognition mark
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)
Flanders welcomed over 15 million visitors in 2025
Flanders is becoming increasingly popular as a tourist destination. In 2025, an estimated 15.4 million people visited the region, marking a 3% increase compared to 2024, according to provisional figures from Visit Flanders (Toerisme Vlaanderen). The number of overnight stays also rose to 36.3 million.