Musée du Malgré-Tout, Cedarc

What Musée du Malgré-Tout, Cedarc does

Musée du Malgré-Tout is a non-profit archaeological museum located in Treignes, province of Namur, Belgium, operated by ASBL Cedarc (Centre d'Études et de Documentation Archéologiques), founded in 1985. The museum specializes in regional archaeology from the Neanderthal period to the end of the Gallo-Roman era, offering permanent exhibitions, temporary exhibitions (currently at its 100th edition), a Prehistory Park with outdoor archaeological reconstructions, and on-site archaeological sites. It holds the Catégorie A classification from Wallonia, one of only 11 museums in the region to receive this designation, and operates one of the richest archaeological libraries in Belgium through ASBL Cedarc.

The organization's revenue derives from multiple streams: ticket admissions (€5-€10 per visit), a two-tier membership program (€20/year ordinary, €40/year or €650 lifetime donor) with cross-network free access to other Catégorie A Walloon museums, gift shop merchandise (plush toys, keychains, magnets, postcards, games), and scientific publications through its Éditions du Cedarc publishing house. Distribution includes an on-site shop, a global e-commerce platform with wholesale to booksellers and museum shops, and traveling exhibitions extending content to other Belgian venues. Customer segments span families, school groups (kindergarten through secondary), corporate team-building clients, and individual members/donors.

Go-to-market is primarily event-driven, anchored by the annual Fête de l'Archéologie held each Pentecost weekend since 1994 (33rd edition in 2027), supplemented by school programs, weekend family animations, holiday activity camps, and corporate team-building packages. Marketing relies on the museum's own website, Facebook, Instagram, and press partnerships with RTBF La Première, Le Soir, and L'Avenir. Governance is volunteer-based with a Board of Directors led by President and Scientific Director Pierre Cattelain, with professional staff of approximately 11 managing day-to-day operations under Director and Curator Dorian Vanhulle. In 2024, the association acquired the L'Authentik building 93 meters from the museum, signaling planned physical expansion.

Name

Musée du Malgré-Tout, Cedarc

Legal name

ASBL Cedarc (Centre d'Études et de Documentation Archéologiques)

Website

https://museedumalgretout.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Musée du Malgré-Tout, operated by ASBL Cedarc, is a Catégorie A archaeological museum in Treignes, Belgium specializing in regional prehistory and Gallo-Roman heritage. It serves families, schools, and tourists through exhibitions, a Prehistory Park, publications, and educational programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Archaeological Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Historical Sites (71212)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

History Museums (THAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Archaeological Sites & Heritage Interpretation Centers (THAJADAG), Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

Keywords

• Archaeological museum services
• Exhibitions and educational programs
• Cultural heritage tourism
• Museum gift shop merchandise
• Scientific publication publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Treignes

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Admission fees for museum visits, exhibitions, and events. Free entry for museum members, PROF card holders, and children under 6. Standard pricing for adults, students, seniors, and children aged 6-12.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership fees: 20€/year for ordinary members (free entry, vernissage invitations, library access, 25% discount on publications) and 40€/year or 650€ lifetime for donor members (additional Archéo-Situla publication and exhibition catalogues).
3. Gift Shop & Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including plush toys (5€), keychains (4€), magnets (5€), postcards (0.50€), games (12€), wooden Colosseum model (9.90€), and comics (19.95€). Online and in-person sales.
4. Publications & Catalogues: Sale of Cedarc Editions publications including exhibition catalogues (15-44€), Archéo-Situla scientific journal (15€), and specialized books (15-45€). Discounts available for resellers, professionals, and librarians.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Musée du Malgré-Tout is a non-profit archaeological museum located in Treignes, Belgium, operated by ASBL Cedarc. It delivers regional prehistoric and Gallo-Roman archaeological exhibitions (permanent and temporary), a Prehistory Park with outdoor reconstructions, on-site archaeological sites, educational programs for schools and families, guided visits, workshops, and the annual Fête de l'Archéologie. It also runs Les Editions du Cedarc, a publishing house producing scientific archaeological publications and exhibition catalogs, and a documentation center / library that is one of the richest in Belgium.

Product overview

The Musée du Malgré-Tout operates as a unified museum experience offering both core museum services (exhibitions, educational programs, archaeological sites) and a retail product line. The Editions du Cedarc publications division produces scientific catalogs, exhibition books, and archaeological studies that form the educational core of the museum's offerings. The retail operation includes plush toys and key chains (featuring prehistoric animals like mammoths, wolves, horses), postcards, magnets, games (memory game), wooden toys (Colosseum model), and membership programs. All products are themed around the museum's focus on prehistory and antiquity archaeology, centered on the Neanderthal period through the Gallo-Roman era in the Namur province region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Les Editions du Cedarc: The museum's publishing house that produces archaeological research works, exhibition catalogs, and educational materials.

Products and services

• Museum admissions and exhibitions Access to permanent and temporary exhibitions, the Prehistory Park, and on-site archaeological sites at the museum in Treignes. Priced per visit for adults (€10), students 12+ and seniors 60+ (€8), children 6-12 (€5), with free entry for children under 6, members, and PROF card holders.
• Educational programs and guided visits Curriculum-aligned educational visits, workshops, animations, and guided tours for school groups (kindergarten through secondary), families, and corporate teams. Designed for hands-on learning about prehistory and antiquity.
• Les amis du Musée membership program Annual membership program with two tiers: Ordinary members (€20/year) with free entry, vernissage invitations, library access, and 25% discount on publications; Donor members (€40/year or €650 lifetime) with all ordinary benefits plus Archéo-Situla publication, 2 exhibition catalogues per year, and free entry for family members under the same roof. Provides free entry to all 11 Category A museums in Wallonia.
• Les Editions du Cedarc publications Scientific publications, exhibition catalogs, and archaeological guides published by ASBL Cedarc, including exhibition catalogs (€15-44), the Archéo-Situla scientific journal (€15), and specialized books (€15-45). Available for sale to the public, with discounts for resellers, professionals, and librarians.
• Museum gift shop merchandise Themed merchandise including plush toys (€5), keychains (€4), magnets (€5), postcards (€0.50), memory games (€12), wooden Colosseum model (€9.90), and comics (€19.95). Sold on-site and via the online shop with free shipping in Belgium over €60 and worldwide delivery.
• Fête de l'Archéologie (annual festival) Annual archaeology festival held every Pentecost weekend since 1994, featuring demonstrations of ancestral techniques, practical workshops, guided tours, mini-conferences, and historical reenactments. The 33rd edition is scheduled for May 15-16, 2027.
• Traveling exhibitions (Expos itinérantes) Itinerant (traveling) exhibitions that extend the museum's reach to other venues and regions, offered to other museums and cultural institutions.
• Holiday stages and birthday parties Holiday activity camps (stages) for children aged 3-12 during school holidays, and birthday party packages hosted at the museum.
• Documentation center and archaeological library One of the richest archaeological libraries in Belgium, specialized in national archaeology and accessible to all, with dedicated member access as part of the "Les amis du Musée" membership.
• Team building experiences Corporate team building activities and group experiences that combine cultural visits with structured team cohesion activities at the museum.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free entry to all 11 Category A museums in Wallonia network for members
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• RTBF La PremièreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBelgian public radio partner providing media coverage and promotion for museum events and exhibitions.
• Fédération Wallonie-BruxellesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional government body providing institutional support and promotional partnership.
• Le SoirminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Belgian newspaper partner providing media coverage.
• Wallonie Tourisme CGTminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWalloon tourism confederation partner supporting tourism promotion.
• ChimayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal municipality partner with blazon and Foundation Chimay-Wartoise supporting the museum.
• Achéoparc de MalagneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchaeological partner in the Fête de l'Archéologie, offering educational workshops on Roman calculating tools.
• Archéolo-JminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchaeology education organization running excavation camps and educational activities for over 55 years. Partner for hieroglyph workshops.
• Espace de l'Homme de Spy (EHOS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerModern interpretation center dedicated to Neanderthal man and the Spy cave. Partner for tactile prehistory workshops.
• La VIIème Cohors PraetoriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical reconstitution association specializing in Praetorian Guard reenactments with faithfully reproduced costumes.
• Les peuples du NilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench archaeological reconstitution association focused on Egyptian mediation and restitution of ancient Egyptian techniques.
• Association KheperminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation dedicated to introducing the public to pharaonic civilization through scientific Egyptology approaches. Provides micro-conferences.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Préhistoirama - Musées de la Préhistoire en Wallonie: Network of prehistory discovery sites and museums across Wallonia. Operates in the same regional ecosystem as the Musée du Malgré-Tout, sharing Walloon tourism audiences and complementary archaeological content, though structured as a multi-site experience rather than a single anchor museum.

Direct peers

• Gallo-Roman Museum (Tongeren): Belgian archaeology museum in Tongeren dedicated to Gallo-Roman heritage with permanent and temporary exhibitions, archaeological site, and educational programming. Directly comparable to the Musée du Malgré-Tout in scope (regional archaeology), audience (families, schools), and business model (admissions, museum shop, educational services).
• Musée National de Préhistoire (Les Eyzies-de-Tayac): French national prehistory museum located in the Périgord region near major prehistoric sites, with permanent collections on Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon periods. Directly comparable thematic focus (prehistoric archaeology) and parallel model combining museum, archaeological sites, educational workshops, and scientific library.
• Musée Royal de Mariemont: Belgian museum and domain in Morlanwelz holding antiquities, Egyptian collections, and archaeological artifacts with a comparable mix of permanent exhibitions, educational programming, and a research library. Operates as a similar cultural-heritage nonprofit museum in Wallonia, sharing the same regional audience and tourism ecosystem.
• Musée d'Archéologie nationale (Saint-Germain-en-Laye): France's national archaeology museum covering prehistory through the early Middle Ages with extensive collections, scientific library, and educational programming. Comparable in curatorial scope (chronological breadth, archaeological depth) and operates a similar mixed model of exhibitions, publications, and educational workshops.
• Espace de l'Homme de Spy (EHOS): Modern Neanderthal interpretation center at the Spy cave in Belgium focused on prehistoric archaeology and public education. Already a listed partner of the Musée du Malgré-Tout for tactile prehistory workshops, indicating direct overlap in thematic content (Neanderthal heritage) and educational programming model.
• Archéoparc de Malagne: Gallo-Roman archaeological park and experimental archaeology center in Belgium offering reconstructions, workshops, and educational visits. Co-partner of the Musée du Malgré-Tout in the Fête de l'Archéologie with near-identical audience (families, schools) and complementary archaeological programming.

Broad incumbents

• Musée de l'Homme (Paris): Major French national anthropology and prehistory museum within the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. Shares the prehistoric-anthropology thematic focus and educational programming model, but operates at a much larger scale with broader mandate (human evolution, ethnography) and significantly greater resources.
• British Museum: Major global archaeology and history museum with extensive archaeological collections and an internationally recognized research library. While operating at vastly larger scale and global audience, it shares the same core operating model (curated archaeological collections, permanent and temporary exhibitions, publications, educational programming, and admissions-based revenue).
• Royal Museums of Art and History (Musées royaux d'Art et d'Histoire, Brussels): Belgium's largest federal museum complex in Brussels covering national archaeology, decorative arts, and antiquity with a much broader scope and significantly larger resources. Competes for the same Belgian cultural-tourism audience and overlapping archaeological subject matter, but operates at a national scale with a much wider portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/museedumalgretout
• Instagraminstagram.com/museedumalgretout
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mus%C3%A9e-du-malgr%C3%A9-tout-cedarc

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Musée du Malgré-Tout, Cedarc