Bellewaerde

Bellewaerde is not a museum but a theme park that keeps live animals alongside its rides, a mix that sets it apart from most amusement parks in Belgium. It lies just outside Ypres (Ieper) in West Flanders and draws some 800,000 visitors a year.

The park began in 1954 as a nature and animal park, and rides were added over the following decades. Today visitors move between animal enclosures and attractions ranging from gentle rides for small children to roller coasters. The grounds are wooded, with ponds and themed areas.

The surrounding countryside carries a very different history. Bellewaarde Ridge, just to the north, saw heavy fighting during the First World War. The park suits families with children, and most visitors spend the better part of a day there.