Museums and exhibitions

The Brussels museums are mainly concentrated in two neighbourhoods: Mont des Arts and Parc du Cinquantenaire.

Opens in new windowMont des Arts is home to the big guns, including:

• the Opens in new windowRoyal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
• the Opens in new windowMagritte Museum
• the Opens in new windowmim (museum of musical instruments)
• Opens in new windowthe CINEMATEK
• Opens in new windowthe interactive exhibition on Brussels
• the Opens in new windowBrussels Centre for Fine Arts (Bozar)
• the Opens in new windowToys Discovery Museum

You can also immerse yourself in the past at Opens in new windowMusée BELvue (history of Belgium), the Opens in new windowPalais de Charles de Lorraine (18th century), which belongs to the Opens in new windowRoyal Library of Belgium and the Opens in new windowCoudenberg archaeological site (former palace of Charles V).

There is a large variety of museums in imposing buildings in Parc du Cinquantenaire. They include:

• the Opens in new windowCinquantenaire Museum (art and archaeology from five continents)
• the Opens in new windowRoyal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History
• Opens in new windowAutoworld

What could be more Belgian than comic strips? Brussels is home to no fewer than four comic strip museums:

• the Opens in new windowBelgian Comic Strip Center
• the Opens in new windowMaison de la bande dessinée (FR)
• the Opens in new windowMarc Sleen Museum (one of the biggest names in Flemish comics)
• Opens in new windowMooF (FR/NL) (Museum of Original Figurines).

Brussels is also the art nouveau capital of the world. 

The Opens in new windowMuseum of Musical Instruments and the Opens in new windowBelgian Comic Strip Center are housed in art nouveau masterpieces. You can also visit art nouveau mansions like Opens in new windowMaison Cauchie. You should also reserve some time to take in the Opens in new windowMuseum of Architecture - La Loge.

Gourmets will appreciate Belgium’s celebrated chocolate and famous beers. 
Beer enthusiasts will want to head for:

• the Opens in new windowMuseum of Belgian Breweries on Grand-Place
• the Opens in new windowBrussels Gueuze Museum
• the Opens in new windowSchaerbeek Beer Museum

If you prefer chocolate, get yourself along to the Opens in new windowMuseum of Chocolate or one of the many chocolatiers in the city, such as Opens in new windowBelgian Chocolate Village.

Want to discover the world without leaving Brussels? Visit the Opens in new windowRoyal Museum for Central Africa in Tervueren.

If your interested in other religions, try the Opens in new windowJewish Museum of Belgium, the Museum of the Orthodox Church and the Opens in new windowMuseum of the Black Sisters and the Museum of Modern Religious Art in the Basilica of Koekelberg.

If you are fascinated by technical advances technical advances and traditional trades, you’ll love the External linkBrussels MuseumOpens in new window External linkof Industry and Labour: La Fonderie (FR/NL), the Opens in new windowMuseum of Old Techniques in Grimbergen, the Opens in new windowPixel Museum, the Opens in new windowBelgian Museum of Radiology, the Opens in new windowTram Museum and many more.

If you like being out in the open air, Brussels has a treat in store for you. 

• Opens in new windowthe Museum of Natural Sciences
• the Opens in new windowNational Botanical Garden of Belgium at Meise
• the Opens in new windowBrussels Planetarium
• the Opens in new windowJean Massart Botanical Garden (FR)
• the Opens in new windowGarden of Medicinal Plants (FR), which also houses the Garden of Sculptures (FR)

Opens in new windowAquarium of Brussels (Aquarium Museum or Aquatic Study Center) (Koekelberg) leads you on a trip along warm seas and continents with small species from all over the world.

Brussels is also home to some very specialised museums that you will probably not find anywhere else. Have you heard about the Opens in new windowFencing Museum (FR), the Opens in new windowMuseum of Spontaneous Art (FR) or the Opens in new windowMuseum of Fantastic Art (FR) ?