La Monnaie
La Monnaie is the federal operahouse of Belgium, residing in the European capital with an international reputation for producing opera’s, dance, concerts and recitals. Beside housing an own orchestra, choir and in-house ateliers, they can proudly rely on a passionate and dynamic team of coworkers and volunteers.
La Monnaie
Centre for Fine Arts - Bozar
It’s impossible to talk about culture in Belgium without mentioning the Centre for Fine Arts located in Brussels. Whether it comes to exhibitions, concerts, theater performances, movies or projects concerning literature and architecture, BOZAR will always put originality and innovation first. They prove to keep a finger on the pulse with their varied and sophisticated programme. Besides emphasizing the importance of creation, quality and a rich artistic offering, BOZAR is especially concerned about the total experience of the visitors.
Centre for Fine Arts - Bozar
The Music Village
Enjoying a 17th century location at the very heart of Brussels, only a few metres away from the legendary Grand’Place, the Music Village has opened its doors on the 1st of September 2000. With acoustics, sound system, lighting, stage, warm welcome, comfort, and food & drink that live up to the most prestigious clubs of New-York and London, the Music Village offers all music fans, listeners and musicians alike, a return to the Golden Age of international jazz clubs. On the live program (300 concerts a year), the best Belgian and international jazz musicians, who have adopted this cosmopolitan venue that does justice to its home in the Capital of Europe.
The Music Village
ING Art Center
For over 40 years now, the bank has been staging exhibitions in its Brussels buildings, both at its headquarters on Avenue Marnix or at the Hotel Coudenberg on Place Royale (the ING Cultural Centre).
In the course of the years the choice of themes for the exhibitions has evolved. The bank has moved on from resolutely contemporary and avant-garde shows, that would appeal to a few thousand visitors, to exhibitions of a more classical nature, which draw visitors in the tens of thousands. In other words, the principle of art for art's sake has given way to a more pragmatic approach to exhibitions, based on a desire to reach out to a wider audience.
Latterly, the bank's artistic endeavours have been expanded through the support that the bank lends to events such as« Artbrussels »,, the contemporary art fair in Brussels, and « Prix de la Jeune Peinture » (The Young Artist's Prize), which is awarded every two years to a handful of talented young artists.
ING Art Center
Museum of the City of Brussels
Two majestic buildings that stand opposite each other on Brussels' Grand Place have a long-standing rivalry: on one side you have Brussels' City Hall, and on the other the Broodhuis (Bread House), a UNESCO World Heritage Site which houses the Brussels City Museum. The rivalry between these two buildings is no coincidence. In the 15th century, the Duke of Brabant replaced the 13th century wooden bread market building with a prestigious building that would be a symbol of his power and face off against the imposing building on the other side of the Grand Place that symbolised the city's independence. The building owes its French name of Maison du Roi (King's House) to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, who once ruled over a large part of the globe and once owned the Bread House. After being destroyed in the 16th century, it was rebuilt in the Gothic Revival style in the 19th century by city architect Victor Jamaer.
But it's not all about the Broodhuis' history and facade. Inside the Brussels City Museum gives a comprehensive overview of Brussels' history, with particular attention given to the arts, crafts,urbanism and architecture . The original Manneken Pis is also housed here for security reasons, but as for his wardrobe, which is a thousand times larger than even the most passionate fashionista's, you can marvel at that in its dedicated museum on Rue du Chêne - Eikstraat.
Combined ticket giving access to the Brussels City Museum -Maison du Roi and the Garderobe MannekenPis.
Museum of the City of Brussels
KBR museum
In 1839, the Royal Library of Belgium was housed in the Palace of Charles of Lorraine. Today, the Palace hosts KBR’s temporary exhibitions. You can only enter the palace during these exhibitions or at special events. The palace is entirely wheelchair accessible.
When there is no exhibition running, you can rent the apartments and the rotunda for events.
History of this building
Charles of Lorraine was the governor of the Austrian Netherlands from 1744 to 1780. He was an avid art and science enthusiast and collector. His palace, the construction of which started in 1757, later housed the Royal Library's reading rooms and is now used for events and exhibitions.
An impressive staircase, adorned with a statue of Hercules, sculpted by Laurent Delvaux, leads up to the first-floor rotunda. The rotunda's paving includes a central rosette made up of 28 types of Belgian marble, a sample of the Prince's collection of 5,000 minerals. The rotunda's wonderful floor art leads to five rooms decorated with stuccos and silk, where the governor used to entertain his guests and took care of state affairs.
More information: https://www.kbr.be/en/venue/palace-of-charles-of-lorraine/
KBR museum
Jewish Museum of Belgium
Located in the Sablon district of Brussels, the Jewish Museum of Belgium takes a fresh look at Jewish history and culture through exhibitions and activities focusing on sharing, discovery and accessibility for all sectors of the public.
Firmly anchored in the present day, it is an artistic and cultural place that is lively, dynamic and multidisciplinary, led by a team that values openness, boldness and modernity, and whose goal is to promote a knowledge and understanding of Jewish history, religion and culture.
Through its three principal missions, namely the preservation of Jewish heritage in Belgium, temporary exhibitions reflecting topical subjects and educational activities for school groups, the team is gradually constructing the public face of the New Museum that will open its doors by 2025.
Pending the start of work, visitors can discover a selection of the permanent collection as well as several temporary exhibitions in two buildings covering a total area of five floors. At the same time, the Museum organises a wide range of activities such as conferences, concerts, workshops and literary evenings.
Jewish Museum of Belgium
MIM - Musical Instruments Museum (MRAH)
As soon as it opened at the end of the 19th century, the luxurious Old England department store earned an excellent reputation for its highly distinctive building. The entrance to the building is a jewel of the Art Nouveau style, while the rest is in perfect harmony with the neoclassical ensemble on the Place Royale, and just around the corner from the Grand-Place and Central Station, no less!
With a wealth of some 9.000 instruments, some 1.200 of which are on permanent exhibit, the museum's reputation is mainly built on its extraordinary collections.
Once inside, you'll embark on a true tour of the musical world. After your visit, the instruments and their history will no longer hold any secrets: from the viola da gamba from the Court of Brussels to the 20th century theremin, and even including the African kora!
The mim is nothing other than a place to experience music. A visitor's guidance system allows you to explore the thematic tours to the tune of the melodious sound of the instruments presented.
A program packed with concerts, demonstrations and workshops for the young and the not so young makes the mim experience even better.
The mim has its own concert hall, specialized library, museum shop, workshop for restauration and conservation of musical instruments and is crowned by a restaurant with panoramic view over Brussels.
MIM - Musical Instruments Museum (MRAH)
experience.brussels
The experience.brussels exhibition can be found in the heart of Brussels, on Place Royale and is the perfect place to discover or rediscover Brussels.
This exhibition offers you a new way to see Brussels and will showcase various famous or little-known places, the institutions and secret spots, as well as the city's greatest asset: its inhabitants who live, build, create, act, come together and blossom in the heart of Europe.
What is Brussels' greatest symbol? A giant atom? A little boy relieving himself? A golden square? Rainy weather? A portion of chips? At experience.brussels you discover the real Brussels in all its diverse, sometimes complex, but always stunning, charming and captivating beauty.
The exhibition presents you with a different and personal overview of Brussels. Turn the pages of our giant book and discover the major moments of Brussels' history; take part in our interactive quiz and test your knowledge of the European Union; learn a few words of the old Brussels dialect!
You will also meet genuine Brussels locals, singular and endearing characters who tell you their story, their anecdotes, their lives in the capital. Use our incredible interactive model and you'll soon have all four corners of the Brussels-Capital Region at your fingertips: its 19 communes and its interconnected neighbourhoods whose variety will amaze you. Expand your appreciation for how this multi-faceted capital works and houses 5 parliaments and go home with your own personalised post card!
Whether you're in town for only a few days or born and raised in Brussels, you will dive into this city's great atmosphere and be stunned by how much Brussels has to offer.
The experience.brussels exhibition is accessible to all and offers you amazing moments to enjoy with friends or family, in a group or alone... Welcome to Brussels!
experience.brussels
Garde Robe Manneken-Pis
The incredible Manneken-Pis dressing room awaits you at 19 Rue du Chêne, a stone's throw away from the famous fountain.
A representative selection of more than one hundred costumes is presented according to seven themes: geography, folklore, charity and citizens’ associations, trades, celebrities and characters, sports and designers. They show the richness of this fabulous and uncommon collection, which today includes nearly 1,000 items! The sculpture’s clothing – which is a tradition dating back to the 17th century! – is still part of the folklore and historical heritage of the city of Brussels.
Combined ticket giving access to the Brussels City Museum -Maison du Roi and the Garderobe MannekenPis.
Garde Robe Manneken-Pis
Museum of Fashion & Lace (Museums of the City of Brussels)
The Fashion & Lace Museum displays its collections by means of major annual exhibitions. These address both the design and the production and social use of the garments.
The exhibitions transport you to diverse and captivating worlds. From items never before exhibited, such as in Masculinities or Back Side, through historical themes, such as the glamour of the 1930s or the bold ‘70s, to exhibitions devoted to Belgian designers such as Carine Gilson and Jean-Paul Lespagnard.
Parallel to these major exhibitions, the museum also offers:
- The Fashion Room, an unparalleled space in Belgium, provides you with the opportunity to understand how a museum builds its collections. Discover exceptional items, not hidden behind glass, in order to see them up close.
- The Lace Room displays remarkable pieces that illustrate the finesse, high quality and beauty of Brussels lace. Explore the history of this type of fabric, so valued by the elites in the 17th century yet no longer in vogue today.
Housed in a series of historic houses at the heart of Brussels, the Fashion & Lace Museum holds some 15,000 pieces from the 16th century to the present. The Museum has the most important collections in the world when it comes to Brussels design and production, which it seeks to position in a Belgian and international context.
Its collections attest to the changes in fashion as well as to a specific era of our culture and our society.
Museum of Fashion & Lace (Museums of the City of Brussels)
