In this study, a flat-parallel-plate active magnetic regenerator made of gadolinium is investigated. The coupling of a one-dimensional thermal model with a two-dimensional magnetic model is presented. The thermal model takes into consideration the magnetocaloric effect as a source term and the energy conservation between a solid and a fluid. The magnetic model considers the space distribution of the internal magnetic field strength, and thus it includes the demagnetization effect. Measurements on an experimental magnetic refrigeration test device are performed using distilled water as the working fluid. At cyclic steady states, the temperatures of the fluid on both sides of the regenerator are calculated numerically and compared with the measurement results. The inability to provide a constant internal magnetic field during the heat transfer process with a permanent magnet is demonstrated. A reasonable agreement between simulations and experiments confirms the validity of the proposed model. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.