Hof der dingen - Lifeguards' caps

Say Belgian coast, and you say beach. Say beach, and you’re talking lifeguards — true heroes like the ones these caps once belonged to. 

And when you say lifeguards, you almost automatically mention the Intermunicipal Coastal Lifeguard Service of West Flanders (IKWV) — formerly known simply as the Coastal Lifeguard Service. 

The Belgian coastal unit is the largest of its kind in the country, and that’s should come as no surprise. The service was founded back in 1972, when they began coordinating rescue operations along the shoreline. 

In the early days, their main focus was on supervising swimming areas and giving out pre-emptive advice. The introduction of the first modern lifeguard stations in 1985 marked a turning point. The service expanded rapidly, and by 1990, the new stations were officially dubbed lifeguard posts. 

Today, 83 lifeguard posts are active along the Belgian coast each summer —even in the smallest beach towns. We couldn’t fit a full-fledged lifeguard in our Cabinet of Curiosities, so these caps will have to do.