The Frietmuseum in Belgium was founded in 2008. It was established by Eddy Van Belle, a Belgian museum entrepreneur who had already created museums devoted to chocolate and household lighting in Bruges.
The museum focuses on the history of potatoes, the development of fries, and the production of Belgian fries. Its creation followed Van Belle’s research into whether a museum dedicated specifically to fries already existed; finding none, he pursued the idea himself.
The museum occupies the historic Saaihalle, a Gothic building in Bruges dating to 1399. Its exhibits include potato-growing history, frying equipment, historical peelers, photographs, artwork, and explanations of how fries are made.
A common mix-up is confusing the museum’s founding year with the age of the building that houses it. The Saaihalle is medieval, but the Frietmuseum itself is a modern institution opened centuries later.