A municipal Damien museum
Since 1 April 2023, the Damien Museum has been a municipal museum. The Tremelo municipality has taken over the entire museum operation from the non-profit organisation Damien Museum (2006-2023), which no longer exists.
A Museum Council, as a municipal advisory board, unites all stakeholders and advises policymakers on museum content policy. The founding partners, Tremelo municipality, Association of the Fathers of the Sacred Hearts npo and Damiaanactie npo, continue to jointly commit to a high-quality and sustainable future for the Damien Museum. The municipality of Tremelo is taking the lead in this and acting as main promoter of the museum and employer of the museum staff.
The Tremelo local government, with the support of its partners, hopes to acquire a quality label, supra-local recognition and operating subsidies for the Damien Museum as soon as possible. The Flemish Government awards these recognitions and subsidies to museums and collection-managing institutions that demonstrate that they manage a collection of cultural heritage in a high-quality and sustainable way and develop a cultural heritage operation around it.
Already investing significantly in the renovation of the Damien Museum and the restoration of Damien's birthplace, Tremelo is now also releasing more funds for additional staff, expanded museum operations and new projects and activities. Additional investments are needed to secure the intended recognitions and subsidies in the short term. In this regard, the municipality can still count on the support of Vereniging der Paters der Heilige Harten vzw and Damiaanactie vzw. Tremelo received the birthplace and museum on a long-term long lease from the non-profit organisation Vereniging der Paters der Heilige Harten in 2007. Furthermore, the fathers give their entire Damien heritage collection on long-term loan and make an annual grant available to the municipality (until 2028) for the operation of the Damien Museum. Damiaanactie vzw supports through an annual financial contribution and through promotion and educational projects. The province of Flemish Brabant, which was also involved from the start, continues to promote the municipal Damien Museum touristically.
Damien's tomb and Damiaan Vandaag
In May 2023, the Damian Centre in Leuven closed its doors for good. The Fathers of the Sacred Hearts sold the Damiaancentrum and monastery buildings in Leuven to Triginta with a view to a sustainable renovation and a new social redevelopment. Triginta guarantees that the buildings will be redeveloped in the spirit of the site and with respect for its heritage value. The fathers will remain present on the site in a smaller and more modern monastery and will also retain ownership of the church and crypt with Damien's tomb. The closure of the Damien Centre does mean the end of the 'Damiaan Vandaag'. That project originated around Father Damien's beatification in 1995 as a joint initiative of the Dutch and Flemish branches of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, with the aim of promoting the figure of Damien to young and old alike. The Damien Foundation, which until now was called 'Damiaan Vandaag', will continue in other forms from Damiaan's grave in Leuven and especially from the municipal Damien Museum in Tremelo.
