25 best museums in Brussels – list, prices 2021, photo, description, map
The capital of Belgium and the European Union – Brussels captivates tourists with its fabulous view, given by the grace of buildings, squares and parks at any time of the year. Among the rainbow kaleidoscope of sights, the architecture, priceless ancient and modern exhibits of the museums of Brussels stand out brightly. They open to guests the wonderful world of Belgian and Western European art, introduce the pages of the history of the city and the country, reveal the amazing secrets of the natural sciences, and acquaint them with the culture and way of life of the people.
Royal Palace
In the center of the Belgian capital, in the exquisite landscape of the Brussels Park, the neoclassical building of the Royal Palace looks harmoniously on a hill. Founded in the 18th century, today it appears in the form given to the facade in 1904. Previously, the palace was the residence of the Belgian monarch, today it hosts celebrations and official receptions. In summer, from July 21 to September 3, guests and residents of Brussels can visit it free of charge.
Climbing the main staircase, visitors see the majestic interior of the Throne Room, which was intended for balls. It strikes with the gilded decor of the Corinthian columns and walls, the radiance of luxurious crystal chandeliers. Particularly admired is the Mirror Room with a ceiling decorated with gilded stucco in the form of scarab beetle wings. The decoration of the Imperial Room is complemented by 11 golden flower pots, symbolizing the 11 Belgian provinces. After entering the Royal Chambers, visitors will find out in what environment the monarchs lived. Days and times to visit the palace: Tuesday – Sunday from 10 to 17.00.
Bellevue History Museum
The Bellevue Museum, located in 1977 in an 18th-century building attached to the Royal Palace, is dedicated to the history of Belgium. In past centuries, royalty lived here, and then the elite Bellevue Hotel was located. The spirit of the epoch of the 18th century has been preserved in the three-storey building, coming from the archival documents of the Belgian Royal Dynasty and the interior decor inherent in the Royal Palace.
The rooms on two floors have preserved the 18th century furnishings in the style of Louis XV, the Empire and Napoleon III with decorative elements, furniture, clothes and accessories of the royal people who lived in them. The courtyard has been turned into a Winter Garden with exotic trees and flowers, which is available for tourists to visit. From the windows it is pleasant to admire the view of the Mount of Arts and the Brussels Park. It is open all week from 10.00 to 17.00, and from June to September it is open until 18.00.
Royal Museums of Fine Arts
The largest collection of ancient and modern art masterpieces of the Belgian capital is preserved and exhibited in the unique complex of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts. The foundation was laid by Napoleon in 1801. Since then, it has grown into a complex of 6 museums open to the public free of charge on the first Wednesday of the month.
Closed only working every 2nd Thursday of the month and on public holidays: January 1, May 1, November 1, November 11 and December 25. Three museums – Modern Art, Fin-de-Siecle (“End of the Century”) and Ancient Art are nearby. As a rule, tourists begin their acquaintance with the artistic treasury of Brussels from them.
Modern Art Museum
It is located in the majestic neoclassical building of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, designed by the architect Alfonso Balat and erected in 1890 on Rue dela Regence. It acquaints visitors with a wide genre palette of Belgian artists. The paintings painted by David and his follower Auguste are masterpieces of neoclassicism. National tendencies are reflected in the romantic creations of the artists Delacroix and Géricault.
Fans of realism will be interested in paintings created by Courbet and Meunier. An extended artistic exposition in the genre of impressionism is demonstrated by the paintings of Sisley, Klaus and other prominent Belgian artists. An exhibition of paintings by the famous artist Rene Magritte plunges into the world of surrealism. Open: Tuesday-Friday from 10.00 to 17.00, on weekends – 11.00 – 18.00.
Museum of the End of the Century
The opening of the Fin-de-Siecle took place in December 2013 in a building added to the main building of the Royal Museum, connected to it by a passage. On 2 floors in spacious halls, art works are exhibited, representing the genre and thematic diversity that prevailed at the end of the past century. Paintings depicting workers, peasant labor and romantic ladies, created in the manner of impressionism, neo-impressionism and surrealism, by Gauguin, Van Gogh, Sisley, Seurat, Bonnard, Dali, Dufy.
Admirers of modernism will enjoy the creativity of Alphonse Mucha and artsy modernist furniture with floral motifs. A large collection of skillful glass products will also attract attention. Working hours: Tuesday – Friday: from 10.00 to 17.00, on weekends: 11.00 – 18.00. From it, through the transition, you get to the Museum of Old Masters.
Museum of Old Masters
It occupies the opposite wing of the main building. It keeps an extensive collection of artistic creations of the XV-XVII centuries: 1200 paintings, sculptures and drawings. Rising from the central hall along the majestic staircase, you find yourself in the spiritual atmosphere of the exhibition halls, represented mostly by the works of the Flemish fine arts masters.
An entire floor is occupied by paintings of the 15th-16th centuries: from numerous representatives of Flemish primitivism with the famous work of Bosch “The Temptation of St. Anthony” to paintings by artists of the Antwerp and Bruges painting schools. One of the halls immerses in the work of David, striking with the mastery of the painting “Death of Marat”. The artistic heritage of the father and son Brueghel completes the era with the famous paintings by Pieter Brueghel the Elder – “The Fall of the Rebellious Angels”, “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus and Onlookers”, “Winter Landscape with a Bird Trap”.
The picturesque canvases placed on the third floor represent the 17th-18th centuries. Here are exhibited world-famous paintings by Jordaens, van Dyck, Memling and Rubens, in whose gallery they admire Christ and the Harlot and Carrying the Cross. You can see the masterpieces: Tuesday – Friday from 10.00 to 17.00, Saturday and Sunday from 11.00 to 18.00.
Rene Magritte Museum
Belgian artist Rene Magritte is world famous for his surreal paintings. It attracts the eye with its colorful facade, designed as a sketch of his painting “Empire of Light”. An amazing surrealistic collection, located on 2500 m², is represented by 200 mysterious creations of the author – paintings, drawings, sculptures, sketches, advertising posters, captivating the master's fantasy world.
The life and work of Magritte is reflected in numerous photographs, documents, scores of musical works and personal items. A film about the life and work of a creative artist is shown in a small cinema hall. The exhibition is available to view from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 17.00.
Antoine Wirtz Museum
The museum of the outstanding Belgian sculptor and artist, the romantic school of painting of the 19th century, Antoine Wirtz, is located in the artist's former studio in the Parliamentary Quarter of the Ixelles district. In a small studio, connoisseurs of Wirtz's work will plunge into the atmosphere of the creator's spiritual world, emanating from his monumental paintings, drawings and sculptures created under the influence of Rubens, who became his spiritual idol. Both the size of Wirtz's canvases, from 8 to 16 meters high, and the inclusion of otherworldly forces and frightening characters in the form of a devil, a mythical monster, and a skeleton are striking.
The artist was inspired by the gloomy sides of life, from where the scenes of executions and deaths appearing from the paintings. Portraits, self-portraits and talented paintings make a strong chilling impression. Days and times of visit: Tuesday – Friday from 10.00 to 17.00, with a break: 12.00 -12.45. On weekends, it only accepts tourist groups.
Constantine Meunier Museum
Constantine Meunier, a master who worked in a realistic manner in sculpture and painting, devoted most of his work to the images of a person engaged in creative work. The museum representing his artistic heritage, which is a branch of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, is located in the house where his art workshop was located on Abbey Street in the suburban area of Ixelles. The collection contains more than 700 sculptures and paintings illustrating the creative path of the master.
The initial stage is represented by social painting and graphics, and the period from 1875 to 1905 was manifested by the flourishing of sculptural works that reflected the labor and political life of that time. Workers, dockers and miners appear in a gallery of realistic sculptures. The sculptural image of a mother grieving over her murdered son is especially striking for visitors. You can view the exposition for free: from Tuesday to Friday from 10.00 to 17.00, with a break from 12.00 to 13.00.
Atomium
The futuristic building is a structure 102 meters high in the form of a copy of the iron atom, enlarged 165 billion times, focusing humanity's attention on the peaceful purpose of the atomic era. The design of the Atomium appears in the form of pipes connecting 9 spheres. It is noteworthy that in its 6 areas, where visitors are delivered through giant pipes with the help of escalators, a small hotel, cafes and museum halls are equipped.
In the expositions, visitors get acquainted with the samples of scientific and technological progress exhibited at the World Exhibition in 1958, as well as with modern scientific discoveries. The apogee of your stay in the Atomium will be a visit to the observation deck, from which, as if in the palm of your hand, an amazing panoramic view of the city appears. The Atomium is open all week from 10.00 to 18.00. On pre-holiday days on December 24 and 31, it closes 2 hours earlier, and on holidays it is open from 12.00 to 16.00.
Entrance ticket to the Atomium – 15 €
Entrance ticket to Mini Europe – 15.80 €
Hop on – Hop off sightseeing tour (Ticket for 24h/48h) – from 25 €
Choco-Story Brussels: entrance to the museum – 6 €
Ticket to Autoworld – 11 €
Tourist card: for 24, 48 or 72 hours – from 26 €
Autoworld
Autoworld is a museum of retro cars located under the roof of the southern hall of the exhibition complex of the Ciftieth Anniversary Park. More than 50 exhibits, exhibited on two floors, will delight car enthusiasts and admirers of cars, regardless of age. Cars placed in thematic halls clearly demonstrate their evolution, from the middle of the 19th century to the present day.
It is interesting to see models of the first cars and fire engines, pre-war vehicles of the Belgian auto industry, military vehicles, limousines. A separate section presents the fleet of royal families, cars that belonged to Roosevelt and Kennedy. In the souvenir shop you can buy any model you like as a keepsake. Open from April to September from 10.00 to 18.00; from October to March from 10.00 to 17.00, on Saturday and Sunday – from 10.00 to 18.00.
Train World
It presents a modern interactive exposition of railway transport from different periods of the 20th century, located near the Gare de Schaerbeek metro station. Acquaintance with him will begin with a monument to the first director of the Belgian railways, Jean-Baptiste Mazui, and then you will find yourself in an amazing world with originals and life-size models of old steam locomotives, trains and stations. Here you can visit more than 20 locomotives and wagons of different years.
In the driver's cab, it is allowed to pull the handles, press the buttons, turn the valves, sit in the cars and lie down on rare seats. The presence at the railway station of the last century is created by mysterious gloomy lighting, locomotive whistles and the sounds of wagon wheels. Of particular value are the locomotives of 1845 and 1880, painted in golden brown, standing in the first hangar.
The second hangar shows a 1939 Type 12 Atlantic locomotive that can reach speeds of up to 140 km/h. See a real railway bridge from the 19th century and a monument to the first director of Belgian railways. Open: Tuesday – Sunday from 10.00 to 17.00.
Palace of Charles of Lorraine
The palace, which served as the residence of the Governor-General of the Austrian Netherlands, Charles of Lorraine, was built in neoclassical architecture in 1757. Today, the palace has become one of the most visited tourist attractions in Brussels, amazing with the beauty of architecture and interior design. It is impossible to take your eyes off the bas-reliefs in the hall, symbolizing the 4 elements – earth, air, fire and water. On the marble floor of the main hall, visitors admire the rosette, with 28 rays emanating from it, lined with different types of Belgian marble.
The main marble staircase, decorated with bas-reliefs and a sculpture of Hercules, leads to the rotunda. Today, 5 rooms of the luxurious palace house unique expositions representing the art and life of the 18th century. Rare furniture, Chinese porcelain, a collection of medals, silver cutlery, a collection of musical instruments and clocks give an idea of the life of the aristocrats of that time. The palace is open for visits: on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 13.00 to 17.00.
Museum of Natural Sciences
It is located next to the building of the European Parliament. It will captivate inquisitive tourists of any age with its unique exhibits. It makes a fascinating journey into the distant past of the planet many millennia ago, starting with its most ancient inhabitants. Captivating inspection of Europe's largest collection of dinosaurs. According to 30 fragments of the skeleton of an iguanodon, the skeletons of mammoths and extinct birds, an idea is created of what monstrous animals and amazing birds inhabited the earth.
Informative expositions tracing the development of man, his tools, hunting and writing. The exposition of the hall of insects and the two thousandth collection of minerals, including moonstones and meteorites, amaze with their species diversity. The highlight is called the largest meteorite in Europe that fell to Earth. Working hours: Tuesday-Friday – from 09.30 to 17.00, Saturday and Sunday – from 10.00 to 18.00.
Museum of Zoology
One of the oldest in Brussels. His collection, which today numbers more than 3 thousand exhibits, began to be created in 1834. Getting acquainted with the unique expositions, one gets an idea of the diversity of the animal world of our planet from small insects to large mammals. It is curious to see the stages of development and anatomical features inherent in reptiles, primates and cetaceans.
Anatomical preparations and organs exhibited in alcohol supplement the skeletons of large mammals – a camel, an elephant, a giraffe, a hippopotamus, a buffalo, a deer and a horse. Along with the skeletons of rare and fossil animals, skeletons and stuffed animals of the local fauna are widely represented here. It is proud of the largest collection of beetles in the world. You can get acquainted with the exhibits from 13.00 on odd days of the week: Monday and Tuesday until 16.00, on Wednesday until 17.00.
Museum of Medicine
Located in the Anderlecht district on the territory of Campus Erasme, it belongs to the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Brussels. Here, visitors will be able to trace the various methods of treating human diseases from ancient times to the present. The expositions telling about the treatment with magical and religious rituals are curious. The history of medical practices conducted by Hippocrates, Avicenna, Galen and other physicians of the past is instructive. Visitors are especially shocked by the naturalistic appearance of 300 anatomical wax figures illustrating skin and oncological diseases.
The expositions showing on models the methods of treatment used in Arab, African and Asian countries are of interest. One of the most shocking expositions is devoted to exhibits demonstrating the frightening state of organs suffering from venereal diseases. Medieval medical instruments are impressive, especially: for craniotomy, amputation saws, obstetric forceps. It works from Monday to Friday from 13.00 to 16.00. Every first Sunday is open for free inspection.
Museum of Musical Instruments
On Rue Montagne de la Cour, in a four-story house built in the late 19th century in Art Nouveau architecture, one of the largest museums of musical instruments in Europe is located. More than 8,000 musical instruments from all over the world display the multifaceted sonic palette created by their playing. On each floor, instruments belonging to a certain era are demonstrated: antiquity, Renaissance, Middle Ages, XIX century and modernity, belonging to the peoples of 5 continents.
The highlight is the bicentennial orchestrion, which reproduces music in the orchestral sound of many instruments. Here it is possible not only to look at musical instruments, but also to hear their voices with the help of headphones connected to them. It is interesting to visit the musical workshop of stringed instruments. Working hours: Tuesday-Friday from 9.30 to 17.00. Weekends and holidays: 10.00-17.00.
Horta Museum
Victor Orth is a famous Belgian architect who designed buildings in Art Nouveau architecture. They stand out in the urban space with smooth lines, floral decor and ornamental facades, creating a charming image of Brussels. It is located in the former house of the master, built in 1901 and became his architectural masterpiece. The interior vividly expresses the style inherent in Orth. It captivates with the magic emanating from wall paintings with floral ornaments and twisted lines, the skillfulness of forged decorations on the stairs, the magical flickering of stained-glass windows.
The abundance of glass contributes to filling the rooms with light, causing the illusion of a complete absence of corners in them. In them you will see the personal belongings of the master, furniture in the Art Nouveau style, works of art of that time. After enjoying the interior of the house, the terrace and the winter garden, go to the workshop to see the exposition with archival documents, drawings, sketches and tools that the architect worked with. You can visit from Tuesday to Sunday from 14.00 to 17.30.
Belgian Comic Center
Belgian passion for comics has affected the creation of a Center in Brussels dedicated to this work. It was located in October 1989 in the Royal District near the Grand Place in an Art Nouveau building designed and built in 1905 by the famous Victor Hort as a textile shop. On an area of 4200 sq.m. hosted exhibits representing the development of this fascinating genre of fine art, from rock art to contemporary digital comics.
It presents thousands of comics works by more than 700 Belgian artists and famous comics creators from all over the world in 36 languages, there are rooms dedicated to comics by famous authors. The annual attendance of the center exceeded 200 thousand people. It is open daily from 10.00 to 18.00.
Museum of Chocolate and Cocoa
Belgium is rightfully considered the chocolate capital of Europe. Any resident of Brussels will tell a tourist that the real taste of the Belgian capital cannot be felt without chocolate. Incredibly delicious sweets that cause a feeling of happiness in Brussels dedicated to the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate. Already by its breathtaking smell, the building is easy to find on Rue de la Tete d'Or, not far from the Grand Place.
The two floors housed not only delicious exhibits, but also a showroom and a shop. Here you will learn the fascinating history of chocolate, watch the process of its production, enjoy still hot chocolate and, under the guidance of an experienced confectioner, make an amazing Belgian delicacy on your own. Open all week except Monday from 10.00 to 16.30.
Museum of the Royal Army and Military History
It occupies the left wing of the Arc de Triomphe – the entrance to the Park of the 50th Anniversary. It contains a unique collection of weapons and military-historical exhibits relating not only to Belgium, but also to European countries, including Russia. Starting from the Knight's Hall and ending with the Modern History Hall, it is interesting for visitors to trace the path that military equipment has traveled from the Middle Ages to the present day.
A large exposition is represented by the periods of the first and second world wars with weapons, military uniforms of the warring countries, medals, banners, models of warships and items showing the life of soldiers in the war. Separate halls are devoted to the development of aviation, tanks and warships. It opens for visitors at 9.00 and is open until 16.45. Break from 12.00 to 13.00.
Art Museum of the Park of the Ciftieth
Founded in 1835 and dedicated to art and human history, it is located in the left wing of the exhibition complex of the same name. It, starting from prehistoric times, contains the rarest exhibits of artistic creativity, except for painting, from the five continents of our planet. Of particular interest in the gallery of artifacts are: a fragment with a relief image of Gilgamesh, dating back to the 3rd millennium BC, Syrian mosaics of the 5th century BC. e., Belgian altars of the Middle Ages.
Visitors discover the world of Egyptian culture, striking with the abundance of sarcophagi and mummies and the diversity of ancient art of Greece and the Roman Empire. It is famous for a huge number of exhibits representing the artistic culture of the Middle East, China, Japan, Korea, Polynesia and the American continent from the time before its discovery by Columbus. The exhibits of arts and crafts from the Middle Ages to the 20th century are impressive, represented by sculpture, furniture, dishes, fabrics, costumes and old carriages. Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday from 9.30 to 17.00, and on weekends from 10.00 to 17.00.
Halleport
The City Gate of Halle is the only part of the medieval fortress wall of Brussels left from the fortification, which was built from 1357 to 1388. Made in the style of architecture typical of the Neo-Gothic, they are of cultural and historical value, being under the care of local authorities, who placed a museum of history in them. The expositions highlight the history of the construction of the fortress wall and the city.
Several themed rooms are dedicated to Gothic culture, weapons and armor of the Middle Ages. A separate room presents the history of the guilds of Brussels. The Halleport premises often showcase temporary displays and exhibitions. Under the roof, the gates are equipped with an observation deck, from the height of which it is pleasant to enjoy the panorama of the city and take a photo as a keepsake. It opens at 9.30 from Tuesday to Friday and at 10.00 on Saturday and Sunday, finishing at 17.00, and on December 24 and 31 it closes at 14.00. Closed on public holidays.
Jewish Museum of Belgium
For tourists interested in Jewish culture and traditions of the people, it will be interesting and informative to visit the Jewish Museum of Belgium, located in the center of Brussels. It is notable for the richest exposition of objects of the Jewish religion and Jewish art, collected in Europe, Asia and Africa. The oldest exhibits of the museum date back to the 18th century.
In the exhibition halls, visitors will see many ritual objects with Jewish symbols and exhibits reflecting the cultural traditions of the people, explaining their rituals – circumcision, bar mitzvahs and others. Of interest are the expositions with church and household utensils, antique furniture from the synagogue, tens of thousands of unique photographs and posters. The library contains more than 25 thousand books on the national art and history of Israel, paintings by Jewish artists. Open: Tuesday – Sunday from 10.00 to 17.00.
House of European History
The House of European History is the youngest museum in Brussels, opened in May 2017. The idea of its creation was proposed in 2007 by Hans Gert Peterring, then head of the European Parliament. It became a symbol of a united Europe that ended hostility between European countries. It was placed in the Parliament Quarter area in the building of the former Eastman Dental Clinic, reconstructed and completed with three floors.
Under the permanent exhibition dedicated to the history of Europe of the twentieth century and the relations of the countries that are members of the European Union, 4,000 m² are allocated on 4 floors. It contains more than 1 thousand exhibits provided by 300 European museums and collections. Their detailed description is available in 24 languages in tablets – interactive guides issued for the duration of the tour. Of great interest are the many interactive exhibits located in all halls.
Two floors are intended for temporary thematic exhibitions. The House of Europe is open for free visits on Monday from 13.00 to 18.00, from Tuesday to Friday from 9.00 to 18.00, on Saturday and Sunday from 10.00 to 18.00.