Brussels’ Museum Night Fever drew more than 14,000 visitors, despite nuisance caused by rioters

Although skirmishes early in the evening due to confrontations between rioters and police marred the start of the cultural event, Brussels Museums is reflecting on a successful edition of its annual Museum Night Fever.

Attracting more than 14,400 visitors on 17 October, only slightly less than last year, the 28 participating museums reached near-maximum capacity, it said.

The BELvue museum was once again the leader in terms of number of visitors, ahead of the Bozar arts centre. Meanwhile, the KBR museum and the City Hall also recorded excellent figures. Among audience favourites were the drag king and queens in the museum of the National Bank of Belgium and the live tattoo performance in the Art & marges museum.

Participants visited an average of three to four museums, accounting for a total of 54,000 museum visits.

“At a time when the cultural and heritage sector faces various challenges, this strong level of participation serves as a vital boost for Brussels’ museums,” said the federation of 125 museums across the capital.

“With nearly 75% of attendees falling between the ages of 16 and 35, Museum Night Fever has once again successfully reached a target demographic that does not always find its way to museums spontaneously,” it added.

The two after-parties at Botanique and C12 were also highly popular, with the event at Botanique selling out completely.

The 20th edition of Museum Night Fever will take place on 16 October 2027.

Photo: ©Brussels Museums