The Solo Scale:

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It’s impossible in the modern day to escape the name Waterloo, though usually it’s because someone wants to talk about ABBA’s hit single. Of course, for those who appreciate history, they know it because it’s the battle in which Napoleon met his defeat. If you’re visiting Belgium, then you can go and visit the Waterloo Museum to learn about that defeat for yourself.

This museum had a fantastic flow, using a couple of interesting tricks to modernize. They did offer an audio track that you could listen to. Or, you could opt in for the section you wanted to listen to with numbers attached to the exhibits. There was also an interesting take on paintings that made them more active, showing billowing smoke and a dynamic environment.

Beyond that, the museum layout itself felt fluid and active. Even the way that things like uniforms and equipment are displayed makes it feel more like a journey than simply standing at each exhibit.

There’s also an audio/video experience. However, for me, my phone didn’t sync up to the technology. I never did get it working, so I bypassed this experience. However, there’s so much to see. The interactive audio guide allows you to type in the number of the exhibit you’re at, spending as much time in the spaces you want to.

For me, I found the uniforms and the chronological history super fascinating as you essentially were experiencing the prelude to Waterloo as you walked through the museum. The exhibit that I found most fascinating, though, were the array of sketches from the surgeon who attended to the soldiers at Waterloo done by Sir Charles Bell. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the battlefield medicine of the time. Plus, it’s equally impressive the artistic lengths that Bell goes to in order to capture the conditions of the men he’d treated.

Two other features make the museum unique once you exit the main exhibit. The first is a 360° panorama of the battle in a dome.

The second is the Lion atop the hill, accessible by a set of steep stairs – 226 of them total. The climb and the hill is pretty impressive. However, it’s also 100% man-made and had nothing to do with the battle itself.

If you do decide to do the stairs to the hill, there’s a great breeze up there and some very nice panorama views. Take your time and enjoy, because that way you came up? It’s the same way you’ll come down. I recommend waiting a little until the path is clear.

Nearby, you can also watch a demonstration of actors/museum guides dressed as soldiers who show how they lived and served. At the end of that demonstration, they also fire a live cannon. Once the museum guides are finished, you can wander the area freely to discover a little more about life on the battlefield a few centuries ago.

Once you’re done, you may be hungry and want to grab some food before you leave. There is a restaurant at the museum, so if you’re worried about not finding any food, you have that option. It is a sit-down restaurant, though, so don’t expect to grab and go.

Headed to Belgium? Whether history fascinates you or you just want to say you visited, Waterloo is a great spot for an afternoon visit. For more details, you can check out the museum’s website for information!

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