Tourist or local, you’re visiting Brussels and don’t know which museum to go to? Equipped with a Brussels Card (the reference pass for visiting Brussels museums), we set off to (re)visit the city’s most iconic museums, to list the 12 must-see museums in Brussels.
1. Royal Museums of Fine Arts
Who’s it for? All audiences; children, families; art enthusiasts and novices
Length of visit: 3 hours
They are the Louvre of Brussels: the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts are impressive for their surface area (10 floors, 8 of which are underground), their wide variety of works and, above all, the splendor of the central hall, an art jewel in its own right!
The museum is divided into three sections: Old Masters (1st floor), a vast collection of South Netherlandish classics from the XV-XVIIIth centuries (Bruegel, Rubens, V.D. Weyden, Cranach, David, Rembrandt V. Rijn…); temporary exhibitions (levels 0, 1, -3, -4); Fin-de-Siècle (levels -5 to -8), linked to the artistic effervescence of Brussels in the 1900s (Van Gogh, Ensor, Gauguin, Rysselberghe, Rodin, Khnopff, Mucha) with a focus on Horta and Art Nouveau.
Please note: you will be asked to remove your jacket and bags when you visit. Tip: if you don’t have coins for the locker, there are free checkrooms at -2. Umbrellas can be left free of charge at 0. The MRBA ticket also gives you access to the Musée Meunier (rue de l’Abbaye), the Musée Wiertz (rue Vautier) and the famous Musée Magritte.
📍 Rue de la Régence 3
📆 Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 11am-6pm.
2. Musée Magritte
Who’s it for? For fans of Magritte and art in general.
Visiting time: 1h
The Magritte Museum, located in the building opposite the Royal Museums, is part of the same complex. A ticket purchased at the MRBA will necessarily give you access to the Musée Magritte, the opportunity to (re)discover the world and the most important collection in the world of Belgian painter René Magritte.
230 works (paintings, drawings, sculptures, even musical scores, photos and films…) are brought together in this multi-award-winning museum, which welcomes 300,000 visitors a year. Good to know: if you’re interested in Magritte’s world, you can visit the official Magritte boutique on Brussels’ Grand-Place.
📍 Place Royale 1.
📆 Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 11am-6pm.
3. Musical Instruments Museum
Who’s it for? For music lovers; families; fans of original museums
Length of visit: 2 hours
If you had to choose just one, this might be it! At Bruxelles Secrète, we’re big fans of the Musée des Instruments de Musique! Its magnificent Art Nouveau building, photographed thousands of times a year, houses an extraordinary collection of hundreds of musical instruments dating from all eras and from every continent.
The absolute must? Its audioguide, a must for all visitors, featuring recordings of almost 300 musical instruments, which you can listen to as you stroll through the 4 levels. Traditional instruments from all over the world, a collection of harpsichords, wind instruments, Western musical art, a room of mechanical instruments… you’ll discover (and listen to) objects you never knew existed!
Bonus: your ticket will also give you access (if they take place at the same time) to the concerts in the Concert Hall (5th floor). Don’t hesitate to stop off on certain floors to admire the view over Brussels; on sunny days, the 6th floor terrace offers a breathtaking panorama.
📍 Rue Montagne de la Cour 2.
📆 Tue-Sun 9:30am-5pm (Sat-Sun 10am-5pm).
4. Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles (King’s House)
Who is it for? For locals; visitors; urban history buffs
Visiting time: 1h30
The Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles is undoubtedly the best way to learn as much as possible about the city’s history. From the time when Brussels had ramparts, to the time when the river Senne flowed through its center, to certain key moments in the city’s history, such as the burning of the Grand-Place in 1695, you’ll learn tons of unimaginable information about our city.
Models and paintings, abandoned projects such as the Anspach-Royale aerial gallery… the Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles is also the place to see the original version (for those interested) of the famous Manneken Pis. The museum is housed in the sublime neo-Gothic building of the Maison du Roi (with its fairytale interior staircase), right in the middle of the Grand-Place!
📍 Grand-Place.
📆 Tue-Sun 10am-5pm.
5. Musée Art & Histoire
Who’s it for? For history buffs; archaeology fans
Visiting time: 3h
If there’s one museum that has captivated us with the richness of its collections, it’s the Musée Art & Histoire, nestled in Brussels’ Parc du Cinquantenaire. Opened in 1835, its thousands of works of art and archaeological objects trace the entire history of civilization, from prehistory to the present day. It is one of the largest museums in Europe.
Divided into four main sections (Antiquity, Civilizations of the World outside Europe, Belgian Archaeology and European Decorative Arts), the Art & History Museum is so large that you’ll need at least half a day to really take the time to visit it all.
From the extraordinary Horlogerie to the Verrerie Ancienne, arranged around the garden and cloister, via the Musée du Coeur de Boyadjian, the basement dedicated to archaeology and its thousand treasures (including – somewhat chilling – period skeletons), to the nuggets of Pre-Columbian America and Asian Arts, you’ll leave having seen and learned a lot, a lot!
📍 Parc du Cinquantenaire 10.
📆 Tue-Sun 9:30am-5pm (Sat-Sun 10am-5pm).
6. Belgian Comic Strip Center
Who’s it for? Children, families; comics fans
Visiting time: 1h
Do the Smurfs, Boule & Bill, Tintin, the Marsupilami and all the other comic book heroes hold no secrets for you? Visit the Belgian Comic Strip Center, and discover its museum retracing the great moments in the creation and expansion of what is known as “the ninth art”.
Videos, extracts from comic strips, drawings, goodies, temporary exhibitions: don’t hesitate to drop by the generously-stocked store (on the first floor) and give your full attention to the splendor of the building. The Art Nouveau-style building was designed by the brilliant Victor Horta!
📍 Rue des Sables 20
📆 Tue-Sun 10am-6pm.
7. Natural Sciences Museum
Who’s it for? Children, families; fans of dinosaurs and archaeology.
Length of visit: 1h30
The Muséum des Sciences Naturelles could well be called the “Dinosaur Museum”, as dinosaurs are the centerpiece of the museum! An impressive number of these giants are reconstituted (with real fragments and bones!), including a section on precious stones and another on biodiversity.
Fun, educational and even interactive, the Natural Science Museum is designed with children in mind, and is sure to delight families. And don’t forget: the museum also has its own cafeteria, so you can enjoy a snack with the little ones before saying hello to the Tyrannosaurs…
📍 Rue Vautier 29
📆 Tue-Sun 9:30am-5pm (Sat-Sun 10am-6pm).
8. Bozar
Who’s it for? Art students; fans of unusual exhibitions; specialists.
Visiting time: 2h (depending on the exhibition)
Bozar is a temporary exhibition center located between Place Royale and Central Station. As you enter its sublime hall, you’re likely to see a dozen students sitting on chairs, sketching their drawings. The atmosphere here is rather avant-garde, with very specific or committed, and often very interesting, exhibitions.
Discover the current exhibitions and the program for ’24-’25 on the Bozar website.
📍 Rue Ravenstein 23.
📆 Tue-Sun 10am-6pm.
9. Parlamentarium
For what audience? Political minds; curious about the EU and European civilization.
Visiting time: 1h
Brussels cannot be separated from its status as the Capital of Europe. The Parlamentarium, the Visitors’ Centre of the European Parliament, is the key museum for understanding the birth and functions of the European Union. It’s located in the European Quarter, between Place Luxembourg and the pretty Parc Leopold.
On two levels (the museum is quite short), you’ll discover a multitude of interactive spaces, as well as a surprising hemicycle-shaped cinema. To complete your visit, we also recommend a visit to the Maison de l’Histoire Européenne (located next door, Rue Belliard 135) to learn more about the history of Europe as a continent.
📍 Pl. du Luxembourg 100.
📆 Mon 13h-18h, Tue-Fri 9h-18h, Sat-Sun 10h-18h.
10. Autoworld
Who’s it for? Car enthusiasts; fans of original museums
Visiting time: 1h
Located in the Parc du Cinquantenaire, close to the Art & History museum, the Autoworld museum offers a very (very) extensive collection of automobiles. From the very first vehicles of the late 19th century to the most luxurious cars of the 2010-2020 era!
Organized into several sections (American classics, historic cars, motorcycles, racing cars…), the Autoworld museum is sure to delight even the most novice car enthusiast. The airy layout is laid out inside a large wrought-iron palace that once housed the Mundaneum. There’s even a café.
📍 Parc du Cinquantenaire.
📆 Daily 10am-5pm (6pm Sat-Sun).
11. Musée Horta: an Art Nouveau jewel to discover in Brussels
Who’s it for? Architecture lovers, Art Nouveau enthusiasts, those curious about design and history.
Length of visit: 1h30
If you’d like to immerse yourself in the fascinating world of Art Nouveau in Brussels, the Musée Horta is a must-see, often less crowded than more traditional museums. Housed in the former home and workshop of Victor Horta, one of the undisputed masters of Art Nouveau, this museum invites you to discover an authentic, perfectly preserved architectural masterpiece. Every detail, from furniture and stained glass to ironwork and mosaics, bears witness to Horta’s extraordinary creativity and craftsmanship at the end of the 19th century.
The visit offers an immersive experience at the heart of a home conceived as a total work of art, where each space is designed to play with light and natural forms. It’s also an opportunity to learn more about the life and career of this visionary architect, who had a profound impact on Brussels. A real must-see for art and architecture enthusiasts who want to get off the beaten track!
📍 Rue Américaine, 25
📆 Wed-Sun 10am-5pm (closed Monday and Tuesday)
12. Musée de l’Illusion Brussels
Who’s it for? For families, groups of friends and those interested in fun and visual experiences.
Length of visit: 1h30
The Musée de l’Illusion Bruxelles offers an extraordinary experience right in the heart of the capital. This interactive museum brings together over 60 installations that test perception and critical thinking through fascinating optical illusions and immersive devices.
Here you can walk on walls, explore deceptive perspectives and create surprising and amusing photo clichés. Ideal for young and old alike, this place skilfully blends fun with learning about the science behind the illusions. To make the most of your visit, book in advance.
📍Rue du Fossé aux Loups,18 – 1000 Brussels
📆 Daily, 10am-6pm (off-season)
How to visit Brussels museums
Adult admission to the museums below will cost you between €8 and €16 on average. Some museums are free (the Parlamentarium), while others offer free admission on certain days. The Musée de la Ville, for example, is open on the first Sunday of the month. To find out more, click here.
In our case, we had two 72-hour Brussels Cards in our possession, so we had plenty of time to visit these 11 must-see museums. The Brussels Card can be purchased for 24h, 48h or 72h. It gives you access to 49 of the city’s museums free of charge. A great way to visit Brussels’ masterpieces, and a great way to save money on your wallet.