Mundaneum: Mons paper Google

The Mundaneum is an exceptional archive centre and exhibition space in Mons, known to hold 12 million bibliographic records. Le Monde describes it as the Paper Google and the New York Times as The Web Time Forgot.

Listed by Unesco as exceptional heritage, the Mundaneum stores so many documents they would create a 6 km long line if put side by side... This off the beaten path gem in Wallonia can be compared to the invention of the printing press in the 15th century.

The Centre received the "European Culture Award" in 2016 for helping a shared vision: peace through culture. At the edge of this digital revolution, the Mundaneum offers a fantastic playground bringing together information and digital literacy. It is considered the ancestor of our modern web search engines. It partnered with Google in 2012.

A bit of history

The origins of the Mundaneum date back to the end of the 19th century. Created from the vision of two Belgian jurists, Paul Otlet, father of documentation, and Henri La Fontaine, who was awarded for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1913, the project aimed to gather together and index all of the world's knowledge.

The Mundaneum became a universal centre of documentation and was the birthplace of international humanist institutions during the first half of the 20th century. Today, it is considered the first search engine in history and is nicknamed "Paper Google".

The Mundaneum today

The Mundaneum holds exhibitions and conferences linked to this exceptional heritage site. It preserves significant documentary heritage, which is comprised of:

Universal Bibliographic Repertory, which is inscribed to the UNESCO Memory of the World List.
The International Newspaper Museum
Personal papers from the founders
Archives on anarchy, feminism and pacifism
Books, posters, photographs, post cards, etc.

Since 1998, the Archives Centre has had an exhibition space, with a scenography designed by François Schuiten and Benoît Peeters. The Mundaneum, a space for memory, exchange and exhibitions, today stands in good stead to become a crossroads between history, culture, technology and the debate on culture.

Visitors with specific needs

Please click here to see the list of facilities and activities accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. Wallonia has developed the Access-i program to give travellers a clear understanding of what the infrastructures offer.

Please note, on this site:

If you are blind or visually impaired: holding rails, appropriate toilets, lifts
If you are deaf or hard of hearing: video in sign language

Schedule

Groups

From 01 January to 31 December 2020.

Museum space:

Wednesdays to Fridays: from 1 to 5 pm
Weekends: from 11 am to 5 pm
Closed Mondays, Tuesdays, December 24-25th and 31st, Janauray 1t
Closed for the Mons Ducasse

Archives:

Access to the reading room on request (please ask in advance) Mondays to Fridays, from 9 am to noon and 1 to 4.30 pm.

Guided tours possible - please book in advance.

Price

Individual

Individual adult€ 7

Individual senior€ 5

Group

Adult group€ 5

Free fisrt month's sunday

Several options to choose from - details on the Mundaneum website

Information on the walk

Duration

Minimum duration1:00

Maximum duration1:30

Facilities

Services

Educational service
Visitor guide for groups

Equipement

Access for PRM (autodeclared)
Daylight
Shop
Wi-Fi

Visites

Guide available/groupsFR - EN - German - NL

Guide available/individualsNL - FR - DE - EN

The information provided is an indication only. We advise you to inquire directly with the organisers of the event that interests you before you leave.