MIAT focuses on the industrial society and textiles. The museum provides information on the following themes:
The Industrial Revolution
From 1740 onwards, several technical inventions paved the way for the first Industrial Revolution, first in England, then on the European continent. James Watt’s steam engine epitomises the first Industrial Revolution. The Mule Jenny and the twining mill, two of MIAT’s top items, are characteristic of this period.
The first Industrial Revolution created a new society. Mechanical mass-production in factories increased consumption dramatically. In Flanders, Ghentwas the leading industrial city. Thanks to entrepreneur Lieven Bauwens and his Mule Jenny, the cotton industry came to full bloom here.
The working class
Many workmen went to live in the cities, attracted by employment opportunities in the factories. This led to a strong urbanisation movement and the exploitation of the working class. There are still lots of small working-class houses in the vicinity of MIAT. The museum tells you everything about the work and life of the working class.
Child labour
To find out more about child labour, visit the MIAT website Werken is gezond (Working is healthy). It takes you to Ghentaround 1900, where you will meet five 14-year-olds working and living in the city. Listen to their stories online!
Textiles
In the Middle Ages, Ghent was the textile city par excellence, the textile industry being the city’s main industry. Until the 18th century, however, it remained of little importance. In the middle of the 18th century, following the establishment of several mechanical cotton spinning mills, the importance of Ghentas a textile city started growing. Lieven Bauwens, who smuggled the well-known Mule Jenny to the continent, played a crucial role in this development. Cotton bleaching, printing and dyeing mills were built all over the city.
In the 19th century, Ghentwas one of the leaders in the industrial production of cotton fabrics, and from 1838 onwards flax was also spun in the factories. MIAT focuses on the industrial production of cotton.
Industrial archaeology
In a broad sense, industrial archaeology covers the study of industrial society, industrial artefacts, and the material infrastructure of production and reproduction starting from the end of the 18th century. The primary focus of industrial archaeology is on various aspects of production. What springs to mind are factories, production processes, tools, engines, technology, machinery, etc. But industrial archaeology is also concerned with aspects of distribution, such as transport, roads, railway stations, sales techniques, etc. In addition, industrial archaeology includes aspects of reproduction and consumption, such as housing, domestic comfort, urbanisation, etc.