Art Nouveau in Brussels: a year of unmissable events

01 May 2023

Do you dream of curves and counter-curves? In Brussels, the capital of Art Nouveau, every street corner houses magnificent facades behind which often hide dream interiors. Exceptional guided tours and architectural itineraries, annual festivals to discover unique sites, interdisciplinary events based on Art Nouveau: let your curiosity be your guide and discover Brussels' architectural heritage through the year's unmissable events!

Brussels’ annual Art Nouveau events

Extraordinary discoveries with BANAD Festival

©EB - sophie voituron

Who hasn't dreamt of discovering the interiors that hide behind the capital's majestic Art Nouveau and Art Deco facades? Every year, the Brussels Art Nouveau & Art Deco Festival  has more than a few surprises in store... This year, it's opening the doors to extraordinary new sites, such as the Villa Beausite, with its incredible loggia, or the Art Deco Ramaekers building in Saint-Gilles. For three weekends, enjoy a wonderful journey back in time, full of anecdotes! In addition to the visits, the programme also abounds with off-site activities, workshops for kids and conferences that highlight the richness of Brussels' architectural heritage. In short, you can look forward to a week of visits and discoveries of extremely rare places that are full of stories!

When? March

Where? Several locations in Brussels

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Revisit the classics with ARTONOV 

Olivia Droeshaut © DYOD

Want to discover Art Nouveau and Art Deco off the beaten track and with a modern twist? That's what the ARTONOV festival offers its visitors. For this 6th edition, dance, performances and concerts will be hosted in a handful of varied venues such as Saint Cyr House (an Art Nouveau gem), L’Hectolitre (an atypical site) or Solvay Library, with its eclectic beauty. Whether it’s musical walks to the sound of a portable medieval organ; underground dance to the sound of EDM or jazz improvisation under the marble mosaics of the Solvay Library, each edition will present interdisciplinary creations around a chosen theme.

When? October

Where? Several locations in Brussels

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Maison (Hôtel) Solvay

Architect: Victor Horta - 1895/1898 This luxury townhouse was built by Victor Horta in 1894 for the son of captain of industry Ernest Solvay. The architect was given “carte blanche” and designed the interior and the furniture down to the smallest detail. On the façade, two symmetric bow windows surmounted by balconies are seen to protrude across two floors. Indoors it is a visual extravaganza, with the sheer range of red-orange hues on offer only acting to underpin the atmosphere of luxury and comfort. A must-see building.

Historical venues

Maison (Hôtel) Solvay

Horta Museum

The Horta Museum is housed in the house and studio of the architect Victor Horta (1861-1947). Both buildings were built from 1898 to 1901 and are typical of the height of Art Nouveau. The interior of the house has been largely preserved: mosaics, stained-glass windows, furniture, wall paintings form a harmonious whole that shows subtlety down to the smallest detail. The museum is also a centre for research on Victor Horta and Art Nouveau. The architect's personal archive, a collection of plans of his buildings and the library are accessible to the public by appointment. Reservation of a time slot online is mandatory. Last access at 16:45.

Horta Museum

Maison Autrique

Historical venues

Maison Autrique

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)

Cauchie House

"Our spaces are currently not available for rental. Please visit this page again for future update." The Cauchie House is one of the most exceptional Art Nouveau masterpieces in Brussels. Built in 1905, it was originally the home to Paul Cauchie and Caroline Voet, a couple of artists and decorators. The majestic sgraffito on the façade and the opulent decorations of the bel-étage served as a manifesto for their artistic skills. We invite you to join us for a guided tour to discover its history and unique artworks. Open every Saturday of the month. Individual guided tours, group guided tours.

Cauchie House

Edificio – Solvay Library

This is a magnificent venue created by the vision of one man, Ernest Solvay, in this ancient sociology institute where scientists from around the world came together to share their thoughts and ideas. In this park, Nobel Prize scientists such as Einstein and Bohr gathered for the famous Solvay Conferences. No wonder the venue resonates with brilliant minds!