Brussels' legendary Fuse nightclub to reopen - as a museum

After a year of being closed, legendary techno dance club Fuse is taking advantage of pandemic rules that allow it to open as a temporary art exhibition venue and museum, with Echoing Through Eternity, a pop-up exhibition retracing the history of the peerless Brussels nightlife venue.

In its 27-year history, the club has attracted not only dedicated clubbers from near and far but also the world’s best DJs who view spinning discs at Fuse as the top of the game.

“Working on this exhibition has been quite emotional for us,” says manager Andy Walravens. “I hope we can convey that feeling to our visitors, both young and old, and both the regulars and the first-timers. I am thrilled to see some life in the club again because we really miss everyone.

“This has been a completely different type of challenge for our team, and going back through our archives has been a great way to realise how far we've come. I’m so proud of our heritage.

“This adventure makes us even more impatient to reopen the club for real. But if we can’t come together to dance, at least it feels good to cherish the memories we’ve made in this building, techno fans and local Brusseleirs alike.”

The history of Fuse, year by year since 1994, is showcased on a 20m-long Timeline Wall. Visitors are invited to stroll through the Main Room which showcases their unique selection of artworks and pre-internet magazines. Not only the history of Fuse itself will be highlighted, but also the history of Rue Blaes 208, a building that has served many purposes during its long history from a former cinema to a Spanish disco and finally as a techno club.

The visitor will discover the origins of I Love Techno, a pioneering festival in Belgium which is now one of the largest electro events in Europe as well as many stories about the gigantic City Parade in Belgium, an event that from the beginning has had a close relationship with Fuse.

It’s both an auditory and a visual exhibition and there are QR codes scattered across the different rooms that give visitors access to the many stories and music associated with the projects that Fuse has launched or collaborated on over the years such as La Démence.

What would a nightclub be without loud music? In a time where clubbing has become a vague memory, visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the installation "3 Minutes Of A Club Experience". They will hear and feel the bass vibrating through their bodies while strobe lights complete the experience.

Finally, they will be able to head over to the Fuse backstage and DJ booth - which is open to the public for the first time ever –  search for their favourite artists on the Wall of Fame, and experience what it’s like to be a professional DJ.

The exhibition is organised to offer a unidirectional route for visitors for compliance with social distancing rules. Wearing a mask is mandatory and hydro-alcoholic gel terminals will be made available to the public.

Echoing Through Eternity, 9-18 April. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 13.00-21.30. Price €10. Booking is required, up to a maximum of 60 people per hour and 510 people per day.