THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND FOLKLORE

This 18th century manor house exhibits documents and works of art from Prehistory to the 20th century. The archaeology section presents regional artefacts dating from the Paleolithic to the Middle Ages. The medieval section is illustrated with various works: the tomb of Mainvault - a sculpture from the end of the 14th century -, paintings of religious scenes and furniture. The polyptych of St. Margaret tells the story of the life of the saint and presents several characters - St. Catherine, St. Anthony and St. Eloi. The rich Renaissance furnishings next to a satin-finishing press recall the former activity of the Athens printers. The history of furniture - from the Renaissance to the 19th century - is widely evoked. The different French styles are well illustrated. Four models show concretely the evolution of the city from its birth to the 17th century. The procession and the Ducasse of Ath are illustrated by scale models of the Giants, mannequins and iconographic documents. A very rich collection of goldsmiths' and silversmiths' work and the workshop of the copper and tin beaters - Léon and Raymond Provins - evoke local craftsmanship. The old popular games - bricolet, pelota ball and finch songs - and the activity of the companies are also illustrated. The visitor will discover the productions of local artists such as Henri Hanneton, Adèle Evrard, Lambert Mathieu, Mathilde Canivet, Eugène Copus, Willem Cartuyvels or Paul Cauchie.