Atomium
Halfway between sculpture and architecture, the Atomium was designed and built for the Brussels World's Fair (1958), for which it was the flagship building and emblem. Representing an iron unit cell (9 iron atoms) magnified 165 billion times, the monument with its unique silhouette has, over time, grown to become the symbol of Brussels and Belgium.
On the inside the Atomium offers, not just the most beautiful view of Brussels, but also an entirely astounding and surreal ride through its interior spaces and volumes which alone makes a visit worth it.
The Atomium ticket automatically includes the entrance to the Design Museum Brussels (150m away).
Atomium
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
The Cauchie House
One of the most beautiful examples of Brussels Art Deco, and more specifically so called sgraffito and façade paintings, is the Cauchie House. The façade, architecture and interior of this building make it well worth a visit. Be advised, however, that it’s necessary to book your visit in advance.
Paul Cauchie, the building’s original owner was, along with his wife Lina, a proponent of the decorative arts and painting, more specifically the creation of wall paintings, based on a centuries-old technique. Most similar houses in Brussels were also done by Cauchie and his wife. Nevertheless, an architect rather than a decorator, Cauchie built his own home, which was completed in 1905.
The whole of the building’s façade is stunningly adorned with intricate decorations and acted as a shop window for the couple’s art business. Cauchie’s decoration of his own home served as a confirmation of the couple’s specialisation. The house’s façade is split by three doors: the middle one takes you down to the basement, the right-hand one leads to the reception rooms and the third is purely decorative. The inside of the house is equally beautifully decorated with numerous sgraffiti.
Open every Saturday and the first Sunday of the month.
The Cauchie House
René Magritte Museum (house)
The René Magritte Museum is situated in the house where the famous, surrealist artist lived and worked for 24 years (1930-54). Magritte lived on the ground floor and built in the back of the garden Studio Dongo, where he executed designs for publicity work. He painted most of the time in the living room annex atelier. In that room he would produce more or less half the amount of his paintings and gouaches.
The headquarters of the Belgian Surrealists was also in the Esseghemstraat 135, where they held their meetings on Saturday evenings and where they organized several tableaux vivants.
Since November 2019, a new museum of abstract art has opened next door. Both museums are connected with each other www.abstractartmuseum.be
René Magritte Museum (house)
Tram Museum
Trams, trolleybuses, buses, and taxis that have crisscrossed the capital for 150 years can be seen in these warehouses built in 1897. During the opening season you can make a trip with one of the historical vehicles and relive the atmosphere of the early 20th century on the Avenue de Tervuren and in the Sonian Forest.
A dedicated Museum line with old buses takes you to the areas between the Museum and the Place Royale: Cinquantenaire Park, the European quarter, the squares quarter…
Additionally, you can rent the vehicles as well as the museum halls for any kind of event.
Tram Museum
Design Museum Brussels
The Design Museum Brussels, established after the acquisition of a private collection by the Atomium, is a place dedicated to design and its history. Since 2015, the museum's collection, the Plastic Design Collection, circumscribes the landscape of plastics in design from the 1950s to the present day. Alongside this collection, the museum opened Belgisch Design Belge, a new permanent exhibition space dedicated to Belgian design and its history.
Enriched by a programme of temporary exhibitions, the Design Museum Brussels also explores other fields of design creation and its impact on society and our daily lives.
Through exhibitions, guided tours, workshops, conferences and events, the museum aims to ensure that design is intelligible to one and all.
Design Museum Brussels
Solvay House
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.
Please note : Children under 12 years of age are not admitted to the guided tours.
Solvay House
Museum for Abstract Art
The Museum for Abstract Art is the first one of Belgium and the fourth in the world. It is located just next to the house in Jette were René Magritte lived for many years (www.magrittemuseum.be). Both buildings are connected with each other.
The museum shows mainly Belgian, abstract art. A collection of more than 750 works of which a third will be shown permanently. The second floor contains the historical avant-garde from the 1920s, with important names such as Servranckx, Vantongerloo, Peeters or Flouquet. In the beginning Magritte also painted in this style and was a friend of them. The ground floor and the third floor contain the second generation of abstract artists (from the 1950s to the 1980s and further), including geometric and lyrical abstract artists (such as Alechinsky, Pol Bury, Bertrand, Rets, Delahaut).
Museum for Abstract Art
The Giant Wheel: The View
A new permanent tourist attraction in Brussels, the giant Ferris wheel known as "The View", invites you to climb high above the city and enjoy an unforgettable experience. As the highest point in Brussels, it offers you a breathtaking panoramic view of the capital. The giant Ferris wheel is itself illuminated at night, thanks to its multicoloured lighting, making it an imposing sight on the Brussels skyline!
The View was designed and developed following the success of the Budapest Eye. Like in Antwerp, it is 55 metres high and can accommodate 8 passengers per cabin, of which there are 42. Whether you are an adult, a child or a person with reduced mobility, The View is suitable for everyone and its semi-enclosed cabins give you a feeling of security. Open to all, it welcomes people of all ages, for an intergenerational experience.
First it was Paris, then Budapest, and now it's time to discover Brussels in a different way and enjoy a special moment with your family on "The View"!
Technical information:
Height: 55 metres
42 cabins, 6 people per cabin
An audio presentation of Brussels is available in each cabin
The Giant Wheel: The View
