Manneken-Pis sports new costume to mark Brussels Museums’ 30th anniversary

Brussels’ iconic statue Manneken-Pis dons a new custom-made outfit to honour Brussels Museums’ 30th birthday.

It was designed by stylist Matteo Neri-Lindfors (pictured below), aka Lion Ascendant Connasse, who specialises in dressing queens and queers.

Featuring details symbolising the nonprofit association’s core value of making museums accessible to all, the glitzy ensemble also honours the museum association’s two annual events and highlights of the capital’s cultural agenda: the Nocturnes and Museum Night Fever. Its logo ‘m’ appears in the striking headgear and eyepiece, which also reflect the Nocturnes’ late-night opening event in museums every spring. Meanwhile, the Manneken-Pis’ festive shirt and glitter trousers are a nod to the autumn celebration Museum Night Fever.

The brand-new costume, which was inaugurated in a special ceremony in the city centre, was financed through a crowdfunding campaign in collaboration with Belgian cultural philanthropic organisation Prométhéa.

Mannekin-Pis will be attired in the tailor-made design for the International Museum Day on 18 May, as well as Museum Night Fever, which is staged this year on 18 October.

Donated by Brussels Museums to the City of Brussels, the outfit can also be viewed all-year-round at the GardeRobe MannekenPis museum, one of the federation’s member institutions.

Launched on 25 September 1995 with 46 museums, the federation has grown into a key cultural player, uniting over 125 member institutions. It welcomes more than 5 million visitors annually, while supporting nearly 9,000 jobs in the Brussels-Capital Region.

“Our federation, Brussels Museums, together with its network, has achieved so much over the past 30 years, and we look forward to what we can contribute to Brussels’ museums in the future,” says director Julien Staszewski. 

Brussels Museums is also behind the cultural pass scheme that makes museums more accessible, including the Art Nouveau Pass that celebrates Brussels’ world-renowned heritage. It has been expanded to include Art Deco houses in honour of the movement’s centenary. 

Photos: ©Zoé de Meulemeester