December 44 Historical Museum - La Gleize
December 44 Historical Museum - La Gleize
December 44 Historical Museum - La Gleize
4.5
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
The December 44 Museum is located in the hearth of the Belgian Ardennes, in the village of La Gleize, where the Battle of the Bulge was fought, on the northern part of the offensive. Surrounded by American airborne, armored and infantry forces, 800 German survivors of the 1st Panzer SS, a "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" elite division, lead by Peiper, fled on Christmas Eve leaving behind 135 armoured vehicles including the 69 tonne King Tiger tank, still visible at the museum.The museum accurately recounts these tragic events through one of the most important collection in Europe, most of it collected on the very battlefield where it was fought.
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See what travelers are saying
- Sally C5 contributionsBest museum in regionGreat museum - we enjoyed it so much better than the big museum down in Bastogne. This one focused on the specifics of one event and got into so many fascinating details and made it so real and accessible. Also a huge treasure trove of all the stuff the Germans left behind which locals are STILL finding to this day. Highly recommend.Visited March 2024Traveled with familyWritten March 21, 2024
- Steve K28 contributionsA privilege to seeWhat an amazing thing to see as yiu turn a village corner. An original, fully restored Tiger 2 staring down at you. It was a privilege to see and touch this part of history. The minimal damage from anti tank rounds really gives you a sense of its power and strength. Well worth a visitVisited September 2024Traveled with friendsWritten September 11, 2024
- Touristv3Dirksland, The Netherlands81 contributionsSmall but detailed..!!Small museum that shows the events of the battle in December 1944. An impressive collection (especially for enthusiasts) of weapons, uniforms, means of transport and tools. One minus is that there are hardly any Dutch descriptions in the display cases, are only in French and English.Visited September 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten September 12, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
265 reviews
Excellent
163
Very good
81
Average
12
Poor
6
Terrible
3
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Hans V
Madrid, Spain380 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
Very conveniently organised museum. Upper floor has pictures, artefacts and explanations. Then you have a 30’ movie about the events. To end on the ground floor you have mainly artefacts and less reading to do. Loads of interesting material. We did a small 2 hour visit.
Written July 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ollipekka V
Kaarina, Finland3 contributions
May 2023
Absolutely must see if you are interested in war history. Visited the museum in 2019 and going again in two weeks. A lot of the items are from the vicinity which makes the museum even more special. Tiger 213's story is fascinating.
Written May 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jordan K
Columbia, SC42 contributions
Jul 2023 • Solo
Good: displays and stories are well presented in several languages. You can learn a lot about bulge and conditions for both Germans and Allied forces in the area. They have a large number of uniforms and relics on display.
Bad: The museum is smaller and lacks the space to display vehicles or large displays - but is well laid out for its size. Despite the sign boards being focused on the Axis ploys and Allied liberation stories, much of the displays are focused on Nazis. The Gift shop is almost exclusively Nazi memorabilia, complete with original Mein Kampf books.
Bad: The museum is smaller and lacks the space to display vehicles or large displays - but is well laid out for its size. Despite the sign boards being focused on the Axis ploys and Allied liberation stories, much of the displays are focused on Nazis. The Gift shop is almost exclusively Nazi memorabilia, complete with original Mein Kampf books.
Written September 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tuck-The-Bourgondier
Maassluis, The Netherlands265 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
It is a beautiful museum in a historic location. Okay, the museum has a lot of material and in front of the door is the most beautiful piece, the King Tiger, but it is a one-way museum. Lots of reading at the display cases. Could be a little more interactive, that would make it more attractive.
Written August 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrea H
Los Angeles, CA22 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
My husband and I spent 2 hours here during our trip to the Ardennes. I didn't expect much from the museum itself, but my husband wanted to see the King Tiger tank which sits outside the museum. He loved seeing the tank. The museum itself blew our expectations out of the water.
First, you go through museum reading different panels and seeing different war items/supplies/uniforms/etc in numbered order, so in a sense it is guided. It gives you a riveting background of WWII events in chronological order, including the Battle of the Bulge. I'm not a huge history buff or particularly interested in military paraphernalia, but combined with the well-narrated guides it really helped to bring the story of WWII to life and helps you appreciate all they went through. Next, there is a video which I believe lasted about 25 minutes.
My husband and I came out humbled after learning more about the Allied efforts during WWII.
There is a funny, lovely man at reception where tickets are bought who knew a good amount of history.
Excellent experience we won't soon forget.
First, you go through museum reading different panels and seeing different war items/supplies/uniforms/etc in numbered order, so in a sense it is guided. It gives you a riveting background of WWII events in chronological order, including the Battle of the Bulge. I'm not a huge history buff or particularly interested in military paraphernalia, but combined with the well-narrated guides it really helped to bring the story of WWII to life and helps you appreciate all they went through. Next, there is a video which I believe lasted about 25 minutes.
My husband and I came out humbled after learning more about the Allied efforts during WWII.
There is a funny, lovely man at reception where tickets are bought who knew a good amount of history.
Excellent experience we won't soon forget.
Written June 24, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jacqueline D
Phoenix, AZ58 contributions
Sep 2013
Fantastic museum with authentic WWII uniforms and artifacts as well as interesting information. Great setup as well for displays and a very informative 30 minute film. Can be a quick 30 min stop or spend hours watching the film and reading through all of the exhibits.
Written September 3, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mark w
Middlesbrough, UK15 contributions
Aug 2016 • Family
This was just off the main road hard to find but well worth it in my opinion there was a small shop we visited which sold loads of WW2 Memorabilia the museum was not open when we were there and there had been some sought of party the night before but this didn't spoil the experience.
Written June 12, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bruce R
Jarrestville, Maryland156 contributions
May 2011 • Couples
We were staying in Heerlen, the Netherlands, and visiting WWII sites in the area when we found a brochure on the Musee Decembre 1944, in Belgium, in the town of La Gleize. Wanting to see the "Ardennes" and some of the other WWII sites, we asked our host to provide us with a map to make the two hour drive to La Gleize, Belgium.
What a good idea, on the way we went through, St Vith, Stoumont, Trois Point, all towns involved in the "Battle of the Bulge" in Dec. & Jan 1944. After our visit there we went to Malmedy, which was very close, and visited the site of the "Malmedy Massacre" ( will review in separate writing).
The 'December 1944 Museum' is wonderful, with a good movie of the events during in the German 'Ardennes offensive' and many well done displays. The lady running the museum was wonderful also, and very helpful. Out side is a "King Tiger", one of the best restored King Tigers I've seen; it is worth the visit alone.
All-in-all, a stop not to be missed, weather you are interested in WWII or not. And well worth going out of your way to see.
Bruce Roush, Jarrettsville, Maryland
What a good idea, on the way we went through, St Vith, Stoumont, Trois Point, all towns involved in the "Battle of the Bulge" in Dec. & Jan 1944. After our visit there we went to Malmedy, which was very close, and visited the site of the "Malmedy Massacre" ( will review in separate writing).
The 'December 1944 Museum' is wonderful, with a good movie of the events during in the German 'Ardennes offensive' and many well done displays. The lady running the museum was wonderful also, and very helpful. Out side is a "King Tiger", one of the best restored King Tigers I've seen; it is worth the visit alone.
All-in-all, a stop not to be missed, weather you are interested in WWII or not. And well worth going out of your way to see.
Bruce Roush, Jarrettsville, Maryland
Written July 15, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BandMa
Milnrow, UK1,454 contributions
Aug 2017 • Couples
A really interesting museum nice displays and stories. The shop sells genuine artefacts at ridiculous prices too..
Written August 23, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DdeKerf
Axel, The Netherlands468 contributions
May 2017 • Solo
I really loved this little museum. It tells a different part of the story about the famous battle of the bulge. A few days in December 1944 made a lasting impression. A German tank division followed the plan and swiftly took control of the area around La Gleize but because of many reasons all things went downhill (thankfully) quickly and the Germans fled in the middle of the night, leaving a lot of brand new tanks. All of this is documented with artifacts from the US and German army that were left on site (in case of the Germans) or donated by American soldiers. The movie in the middle is really nice because it just tells the story - really unemotional - with old movie material. This museum if very different than the one in Bastogne but the two together tell a really complete story, one more from the civilians point of view, and this one from the soldiers point of view. Only one of the German tanks is left and that one is parked outside the museum. I think this is one of the best tourist attractions around Coo, way more interesting that the famous man made waterfall at Coo.
Written May 24, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heure d ouvrture et y a t il une attraction spéciale le week-end du 13 au 16 décembre pour la commémoration de la bataille des ardennes
Written December 1, 2019
Volgens de folder van het museum die ik toen meegenomen heb is buiten het seizoen (wat we nu zijn) het museum gesloten op maandag en dinsdag (behalve tijdens schoolvakanties en feestdagen). Dus volgens mij open.
Written October 9, 2019
Hoi is er een klein welopgevoed hondje welkom?
Vriendelijke groeten,
Jena en Jeroen
Written June 4, 2018
Donald F
Arlington, Texas
Would like to purchase items I saw in the museum back in June, 2014. Anyway to puchase on line
Written February 19, 2015
TripAdvisor won't; allow a link.
the online store is at
ardennes44 . c o m
they have many items online
Written February 15, 2016
Donald F
Arlington, Texas
I visited the museum back in June, 2014.Regret I didn"t purchase some of the items for sale in the store. Anyway to get more info on how to purchase items.
Do they have a website to view the items.
Written February 19, 2015
Yes you can purchase some of the items on line. TripAdvisor won't let us send HTML address but if you google Ardennes44, you'll find us. Don't hesitate to let us know if you look for something specific.
Regards,
Michel
Written February 19, 2015
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