The Lange Max Museum (LMM) is devoted to the German 38 cm SK L/45 "Max" gun and the German occupation of Koekelare and the nearby area in World War I. The focus on the German side of the war makes it a unique museum in Belgium. The museum is named after the nickname of the German gun "Lange Max", which was one of the biggest guns in the world in 1917, and is located in Koekelare.

Long Max Museum
Lange Max Museum
Lange Max Museum
Lange Max Museum is located in Belgium
Lange Max Museum
Near Koekelare, Belgium
EstablishedOctober 2014
LocationSite Lange Max, Clevenstraat 2, B 8680 Koekelare, West Flanders, Belgium
Coordinates51°07′01″N 2°58′56″E / 51.116893°N 2.982338°E / 51.116893; 2.982338
TypeWorld War I Military Museum
DirectorRudy Willaert
CuratorGerdi Staelens
Ownervzw Lange Max
Nearest car parkOn site
Websitewww.langemaxmuseum.be/
gun Long Max (Lange Max Museum)
38-cm "Lange Max" of Koekelare (Leugenboom), one of the biggest guns in the world in 1917.
The remains of the artillery platform of the former German cannon "Long Max" in Koekelare, Belgium.

The museum was opened in October 2014 by the Minister-President of Flanders, Geert Bourgeois. It is located on a domain called Site Lange Max, which includes a farmyard. The site includes other protected monuments such as a bakehouse, the artillery platform and a former German mess.

The museum provides information about the "Lange Max" gun that bombarded Dunkirk and also Ypres in 1917 . Dunkirk is located at about ± 45 km from Koekelare. The information is available in four languages: Dutch, German, English and French. Audio guides in Dutch, English and German are also available.

Notable visitors

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During the Interbellum, the Pommern battery was one of the most successful attractions in battlefield tourism in Belgium. It was featured in the Michelin Guide "L'Yser et la côte belge". Notable visitors to the Site Lange Max over time include:

Nearby points of interest

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Temporary exhibitions

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  • Temporary Exhibition 2016 (2016-2017): "The effect of the inundation on German warfare" (Dutch: "De gevolgen van de onderwaterzetting voor de Duitse oorlogsvoering")
  • Temporary Exhibition 2017 (2017-2018): "The III. Flandernschlacht in our region" (Dutch: "De III. Flandernschlacht in onze regio")

Awards and recognition

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  • 2014: Culture award (Gerdi Staelens, for Lange Max Museum)[5]
  • 2015: Raf Seys Price[6]
  • 2015: Nomination Heritage Price 2015 West Flanders Province (one of the 20 projects selected out of 500 entries).[7]
  • 2016: Belgium's third best museum.[8]
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References

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  1. ^ THE BRITISH ARMY ON THE WESTERN FRONT, 1914-1918
  2. ^ THE BRITISH ARMY ON THE WESTERN FRONT, 1914-1918
  3. ^ Battlefield tourism on the coast after WWI - VLIZ
  4. ^ Battlefield tourism on the coast after WWI - VLIZ
  5. ^ (NL) Cultuurprijs voor werk aan nieuwe Lange Max Museum
  6. ^ "(NL) Eerste RAF SEYS PRIJS gaat naar de Lange Max!". Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-07.
  7. ^ (NL) Erfgoedprijs 2015: de winnaars
  8. ^ De 10 beste musea - België. Nr. 3 - Lange Max Museum - 01/09/2016
  • Raf Seys, Commeine L.: Lange Max : het groot kanon van Leugenboom, Devriendt, Koekelare, 192 p.
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  Media related to Lange Max Museum at Wikimedia Commons

51°07′01″N 2°58′56″E / 51.1169°N 2.9823°E / 51.1169; 2.9823