Bezoek Tabakfabriek N°253 'Cigar makers from Handzame'

During this guided tour, you will take a look at the visitor center, located on the historic site of the factory. This center tells you the story of the Vandenberghe family during WWI. You will discover the history of a village in evolution and learn more about the role of tobacco and cigar production in the region. Cyriel Vandenberghe is your virtual guide through the exhibition. Around 1900, he founded the Tabakfabriek N°253 which had grown into a thriving family business on the eve of the Eerste Wereldoorlog. He tells you everything about the dramatic consequences of the war years for the young company and his family. You will learn how the company reinvented itself many times after the war and how it grew into the modern company it is today in a rapidly changing world. This exhibition visit is extended with a tour of the current NEOS factory.