For 150 years this was the home of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. The first Capuchins lived and worked here since 1871; the last friar left in late 2021. This religious community of men originated in Italy as a reform movement within the Franciscan order. They distinguished themselves through their tireless commitment to the poor and to those who lived on the fringes of society. The Boeverie neighbourhood where they lived and worked had a somewhat negative reputation in the 19th century with an impoverished population. The Capuchins were very visible in the streets, unlike other orders. They were street workers, before the term was invented, dressing in brown hooded habits with sandals on their bare feet. They provided religious services, but also helped to put official documents in order. In the monastery, they had consulting rooms where local residents could quietly confide their concerns to a Bruges Capuchin. They also formed the first volunteer fire department in Bruges.

The mission and way of life of the Capuchins can also be seen in the architecture of this monastery complex: it is very simple and rudimentary. This is logical, since pomp and splendour was not their reason for existence. The monastery was a place to live, but it also needed to have widely available spaces for their charitable work. The Third Order (a lay order dedicated to charitable causes), a publishing house, consulting rooms and, for nearly fifty years, a Seraphic College for boys with boarding school, were housed on this site.

Visit Flanders was given a long lease on the Capuchin Monastery in Bruges at the end of 2021. The monastery now forms a proverbial couple with St Godelina's Abbey across the street. Research into the soul of the site has been launched and an extensive participation process will produces a defined vision of the future. The church will once again become a meeting place for young and old, a multipurpose space for visitors, residents and business owners. Effective repurposing will be started after St Godelina's Abbey reopens.

Starting in summer 2024, it is possible to look inside the Capuchin Church. All movable heritage from St Godelina's was temporarily moved out. The masterpieces were given their place in the city's secure depository. All other equipment and furniture was put in the Capuchin Church. There will be a rotating exhibition of these pieces over four years. The church's wooden entrance gate has given way to a large viewing window, allowing anyone to peek inside and admire the movable heritage.