(Be)Leefbare Schelde
A more social Europe
The Scheldt estuary forms a unique geological entity that links the border region between Flanders and the Netherlands. The region shares a common cultural and historical heritage, as well as a shared challenge for the future. Strong cooperation is required to establish the project area as a leading tourist destination.
Realisaties
Tangible improvements for nature, recreation and water management along the Scheldt. Discover the results.
The new exhibition 'Tussen Vesting & Delta'
A permanent museum exhibition in which water, soil and climate tell the story of Bergen op Zoom.With ‘Tussen Vesting & Delta’, the Markiezenhof has created a new permanent exhibition in which visitors discover how water, soil and climate have influenced the development of Bergen op Zoom over the centuries. The exhibition shows how the town emerged on the boundary between clay and sand, salt and fresh water, and how this unique location continues to shape the landscape and everyday life.Historical artefacts, interactive elements and stories from experts bring together the different layers of the area. A particular highlight is the impressive model of the fortified town from 1747, which gives visitors a glimpse of Bergen op Zoom at a pivotal moment in its history.However, the exhibition does not merely look back. By linking the past to current themes such as water, soil and climate, it also creates space to reflect on the area’s future. Visitors are taken on a journey through the landscape and discover just how closely the environment and the town’s development are intertwined.On 10 September 2026, ‘Tussen Vesting & Delta’ was officially opened at the Markiezenhof. During the opening, it was emphasised just how many different partners, staff and volunteers had contributed to the creation of the new space.The exhibition is in line with the objectives of (Be)Leefbare Schelde to bring the landscape, heritage and stories of the Scheldt Delta to life in an accessible and engaging way. In this way, ‘Tussen Vesting & Delta’ offers visitors a fresh perspective on the area where Zeeland and Brabant meet.Fancy discovering ‘Tussen Vesting & Delta’ for yourself? Visit the Markiezenhof and experience the story of water, soil and climate up close. You can find more information and tickets on the Markiezenhof website.
Through the Eyes – a new perspective on the Zwin
An immersive 360° experience in which visitors discover the Zwin from the perspective of its animals.
At the Zwin Nature Park, the exhibition ‘Through the Eyes: A glimpse into the world of those who never speak’ allows visitors to experience the nature reserve from a unique perspective: that of the animals that live there. The immersive experience was officially opened on 10 July 2026 and takes visitors into the world of creatures including the fork-tailed damselfly, tree frog, little egret, peregrine falcon and stork. Through film, animation, interactive elements, projections and original music by composer and conductor Dirk Brossé, a world comes to life that normally remains largely hidden from human view.
The experience lasts around ten minutes and follows the natural rhythms of the Zwin, such as the tides, day and night, and the seasons. From these different perspectives, it becomes clear just how closely the species are interconnected and what role they play within the food web and the Zwin’s fragile ecosystem. At the same time, the experience demonstrates that nature is constantly changing and highlights climate change and the importance of protecting the area.
With ‘Through the Eyes’, the Zwin Nature Park has opted for an innovative and accessible way of bringing visitors closer to nature. The combination of nature, technology, art and music makes it possible not only to view the Zwin, but to actually experience it from a different perspective. The project was realised with €100,000 in European funding from the Interreg Flanders-Netherlands project (Be)Leefbare Schelde, alongside contributions from the Province of West Flanders and the Agency for Nature and Forests. The concept and production were handled by CREATE.eu, in collaboration with the Zwin Nature Park.
Renovated Duinenstraat in Oostende officially opened
“More than 1,000 cyclists use this road every day”
The area around the Church of Our Lady of the Dunes, better known as the ‘Duinenkerkje’, has been redeveloped. The refurbished Duinenstraat forms an important cycling and walking link within the ‘Groen Lint’ and the ‘Bovenlokaal Functioneel Fietsroutenetwerk’. With more than 1,000 cyclists a day, the route is a vital link for leisure users and local residents.
The redesign explicitly prioritised a greener and climate-resilient environment. In the dunes, existing hard surfaces have been removed, whilst in the polder landscape, excavations have been carried out to make more room for water and nature. As part of the Life Dunias project, invasive species such as mahogany and wrinkled rose are also being removed, allowing native plants and biodiversity to flourish further.
Attention was also paid to the experience of the landscape. A new viewing platform with a bench offers visitors a view of the Duinenkerkje and the landscape that inspired James Ensor. In addition, Daniel Spoerri’s artwork Ik, James Ensor became a temporary feature of the revitalised environment, as a reference to the Ensor Year 2024.
The redevelopment was made possible through collaboration between the City of Ostend and various partners, including the Agency for Maritime Services and the Coast (MDK), the Agency for Nature and Forests (ANB), Immovable Heritage and Westtoer. The total investment amounted to €1,786,278, made possible in part by grants from Tourism Flanders, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Province of West Flanders and the Flemish Government via the Blue Deal.
MAP – Mercator brings the world of cartography to life
An innovative museum where historical masterpieces and interactive technology come together to forge a new path.
MAP – Mercator officially opened its doors in Sint-Niklaas in December 2025. As Belgium’s first museum entirely dedicated to cartography, it takes visitors on a journey into the world of maps, cartographers and the enduring influence of Gerard Mercator. Historical masterpieces, such as Mercator’s original globes and the Lafreri atlas, are combined with interactive installations, projections and digital applications that invite visitors to discover maps in an innovative way.
The thematic museum layout demonstrates how maps not only depict our surroundings, but also tell stories, shape perspectives and help us to better understand the world. By bringing heritage and technology together, an experience is created in which visitors are actively drawn into the story behind cartography.
The museum’s success demonstrates that this approach resonates with the public. Less than six months after opening, MAP – Mercator welcomed its 20,000th visitor. This confirms the museum’s role as a new cultural attraction where local residents, schools, tourists and heritage enthusiasts come together to discover Flanders’ rich cartographic heritage.
For more information about the museum, visit the official page here!
Dichter bij Water - A Sea of Possibilities
From battling the sea to living in harmony with water.
On Saturday 11 July 2026, the latest edition of Dichter bij Water took place in and around the Watersnoodmuseum. The festival focused on our changing relationship with water and invited visitors to reflect on the transition from fighting the sea to living in harmony with it. With a varied programme full of poetry, music, art and inspiring encounters, the festival demonstrated how culture can contribute to new perspectives on water, landscape and heritage.
Visitors were able to enjoy, amongst other things, recitals by poets and writers, poetry films, art installations, a creative screen-printing workshop and performances by, amongst others, adventurer Jaco Benckhuijsen and the band Overzee. The programme also featured special initiatives such as the De Eenzame Uitvaart Foundation and the ‘Waterige samenstelsels’ stage programme, in which writers shared their views on the relationship between people and water.
The festival ties in seamlessly with the ambitions of (Be)Leefbare Schelde: to connect people in an inspiring way with the landscape, history and stories of the Scheldt Delta. Curious about the full programme or would you like to find out which elements were part of this edition? Then take a look at the Watersnoodmuseum’s events page.
Bringing industrial heritage to life with augmented reality
Innovative technology is bringing the historic workshop at Baasrode Shipyards to life in a new way.
How do you make historic machinery work again without actually setting it in motion? An innovative augmented reality application has been developed for this purpose at Baasrode Shipyards. Historic machinery has been digitally reconstructed and animated, allowing visitors to discover, in a safe and accessible way, how the shipyard operated at the beginning of the twentieth century.
The application brings the past and the future together. By projecting digital animations onto the physical machines, an intuitive visitor experience is created in which the authentic heritage remains central. In this way, not only is the story of the shipyard told, but it also becomes a truly immersive experience for a wide audience. This project demonstrates how innovation can contribute to preserving, unlocking and making accessible the shared heritage of the Scheldt Delta.
A new chapter for the Oosterschelde Museum in Yerseke
On 20 April 2026, the transformation of the Oosterschelde Museum was officially launched in Yerseke. During a press event, the museum’s chairperson, together with Councillor Ad Meeuwsen, unveiled the project’s construction sign.
With this renovation, the museum will evolve into a contemporary heritage and interactive venue centred on the story of living and working with the water. The history of the shellfish sector, the submerged villages and the ongoing interaction between people, water and climate form the central theme.
The transformation is in line with the objectives of the Interreg Flanders–Netherlands programme and the wider collaboration within the Scheldt Delta. The Oosterschelde Museum will become an important ‘gateway’ where visitors not only look back at the past, but are also engaged with current and future challenges relating to climate change, sustainability and food production. Through interactive displays and new connections with the surrounding landscape, the story of the Oosterschelde will be made visible, tangible and experiential for a wide audience.
The launch of this project marks a significant step towards strengthening cultural heritage and cross-border cooperation in the region, with Yerseke serving as a prime example of how history, innovation and future prospects come together.
The refurbished museum is set to open in early 2027.
‘Behalve het verdwijnen’, immortalised in the area around the Kaai and the Scheldt
During the ‘Dichter bij Water’ literary festival on Sunday 19 May, Stijn Vranken presented Puurs-Sint-Amands’ new municipal poem, entitled ‘Behalve het verdwijnen’. What makes this poem special is that it is actually two poems in one: when the fine print disappears, a beautiful love poem remains.Puurs-Sint-Amands wanted to embed the poem permanently in the area around the Kaai and the Scheldt. The Lemmelijn–De Smet family suggested affixing it to the façade of their house at Kaai 29.The result was festively unveiled on Tuesday 12 November 2024 in the presence of Anne De Smet and Jo Lemmelijn, the owners of the house, Ronny Tourné, alderman for Culture, and writer Stijn Vranken. The official unveiling of the municipal poem took place on 18 November 2024.A wonderful way to showcase art and a love of language in the heart of Puurs-Sint-Amands!As a partner in the Interreg Flanders-Netherlands project (Be)Leefbare Schelde, the municipality of Puurs-Sint-Amands is committed to projects that emphasise the connection between water and culture. One example of this is the concept development of ‘Water en Woord’, in which the literary festival ‘Dichter bij Water’ plays a prominent role.
Through these initiatives, the municipality of Puurs-Sint-Amands is helping to preserve and promote the natural and cultural heritage of the Scheldt Delta Geopark, whilst strengthening the region’s identity and appeal.
Expo GEOWONDER
The GEOWONDER exhibition is a photography exhibition that took place from 1 March to 1 June 2025 at the Zwin Nature Park in Knokke-Heist, Belgium.The exhibition showcases the winning images from the GEOWONDER photography competition, for which the jury selected the finest photographs from over 400 entries across various regions and categories, including animals, plants, climate and landscape. All these photographs were taken in the Scheldt Delta Geopark.