From Autoworld to Wiertz: 37 museums you must see when in Brussels

Art & Design Atomium Museum
Dedicated to the art and design of this century and last. With its permanent exhibition Plasticarium, it displays objects from the 1960s to the modern day, alongside temporary shows.

Atomium
Built as part of Expo 58 to represent an elementary iron crystal, enlarged to 165 billion times its actual size. Features permanent and temporary exhibitions.

Art and History Museum
This labyrinthine museum contains Egyptian mummies, Easter Island statues, a reconstructed Roman bath and a vast collections of statues.

Belgian Comic Strip Center
Brussels is the home of comic strip and the city centre has huge frescoes showing favourite characters. Follow the four-mile walk and visit the Art Nouveau Belgian Comic Strip Centre.

Autoworld
Home to more than 250 cars and the exhibition illustrates the development of the vehicle over more than a century.

BELvue
Presents a theme-based approach explaining Belgium and Belgian society plus a gallery of more than 200 objects and hands-on exhibits.

Bozar
Designed by Victor Horta, this Art Deco arts centre hosts concerts, films, exhibitions, festivals, plays, dance, literary talks and family events.

Brasserie Cantillon
A working brewery that’s also home to the Brussels Gueuze Museum. Take a self-guided tour followed by a tasting in the bar.

Brussels City Museum
Art, artefacts and models of Brussels’ evolution from a swampy backwater to a European metropolis, plus a multimedia archive of hundreds of Manneken Pis costumes.

Brussels Museum of Labour
Focuses on the industries that have been seminal in Brussels’ industrial revolution – metal, woodwork, textile and food processing.

Children’s Museum
Through performance, wooden toys and workshops, children can discover the world around them.

Choco-Story
Learn about the history of chocolate and watch a master chocolate-maker prepare pralines in front of you.

Coudenberg
Explore the remains of Brussels’ former palace and an underground street in this archaeological site beneath Place Royale, Rue Royale and buildings around the square.

Erasmus House & Gardens
Discover the intellectual and private life of the scholar, and stroll around the medicinal garden.

Fashion & Lace Museum
What began as a modest collection in the mid-20th century has grown into a treasure trove of lace and fashion through the ages.

Fin-de-Siècle Museum
Dedicated to the years between 1865 and 1914, a time when Brussels became an artistic as well as a political capital.

Garde-robe Manneken Pis
With around 1,000 costumes, Brussels’ famous symbol boasts an impressive wardrobe. A selection of 100 outfits are on display, while the remainder can be seen via an interactive terminal.

Horta Museum
Victor Horta’s former home in Ixelles is dedicated to the life and work of Belgium’s most celebrated architect and designer and the father of Art Nouveau.

House of European History
A journey of the key moments in Europe’s history via a permanent exhibition of objects from more than 300 museums and collections.

ING Arts Centre
The bank has a private collection of over 2,000 pieces and the space stages regular exhibitions.

Jewish Museum of Belgium
Aims to introduce the Jewish history, religion and culture as well as encouraging dialogue and open-mindedness.

KBR
The royal library stores everything that has been published in Belgium. It organises several exhibitions a year, and has collections of manuscripts, sheet music and ancient literature.

Magritte Museum
The largest collection of Magritte paintings in the world includes the iconic Ceci n’est pas une pipe.

Maison Autrique
A beautiful Art Nouveau townhouse, designed by Victor Horta in 1893.

Maison-Musée René Magritte
René Magritte’s home for 24 years has been restored for visitors.

Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art
Plastic and urban art museum in the former Bellevue brewery overlooking the canal. It traces the history of urban art forms since 2000.

Museum of the Belgian Brewers
An 18th-century brewery showing traditional methods of making beer.

Museum of Musical Instruments
The striking Art Nouveau building is home to an incredible collection of musical instruments. Don’t miss the rooftop cafe.

Museum of the National Bank of Belgium
The central bank’s museum houses a fascinating collection of old coins and explains the role of the bank in society and the economy.

Parlamentarium
Learn how the European Parliament works and what its members are doing to meet the challenges Europe faces.

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science
Permanent and temporary exhibitions, including the Gallery of Evolution.

Royal Museum of the Armed Forces & Military History
Houses military items, including uniforms, artwork, artillery, weapons and armour spanning 10 centuries. There is also a documentation centre with photographs, maps and more.

Royal Museums of Fine Arts
An impressive collection of 20,000 pieces of art, plus the Ancient and Modern art museums.

Sewer Museum
Tells the story of how the capital’s sewers were built, describes the jobs people do there and explains the city’s water cycle.

Train World
Explores the history of rail travel from its site in the former buildings of Schaerbeek railway station, packed with hands-on exhibits.

Tram Museum
This former depot for trams lets visitors relive Brussels’ history through a collection of buses, taxis and a trolleybus dating back 150 years. You can also take a trip on a vintage tram.

Wiels
With a clear focus on contemporary art, Wiels offers art, talks and film plus holiday workshops for children.

Wiertz Museum
Romantic painter Antoine Wiertz bequeathed his studio and work to the state.