Coudenberg Palace
Brussels
0.00 Km 00:00
BELvue Museum
The BELvue Museum is a perfect place if you like understanding a country through its objects, its ideas and its everyday stories. An ideal visit with family, as a couple or solo, to take a curious and nuanced look at Belgium, in the very heart of Brussels.
- Monday : Closed
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Information
BELvue Museum – Understanding Belgium, past and present, through objects and ideas
The BELvue Museum is an ideal gateway to understanding Belgium—its history, its contradictions, its achievements and the elements that shape its identity today. Located in the heart of Brussels, just steps from the Royal Palace and the Mont des Arts, the museum offers a lively and accessible immersion into Belgian history. Here, the story goes beyond dates: visitors explore a society, its values, debates and symbols through familiar—and sometimes surprising—objects.
From the moment you arrive, the atmosphere feels unique. Housed in a magnificent 18th-century building, once a luxury hotel and later a princely residence, BELvue blends historic elegance with contemporary exhibition design. Light pours in through the glass roof, and the garden offers a peaceful pause—creating a true oasis of calm in the middle of the city.
Seven themes to tell the story of a society
The visit is structured around seven major social themes that guide visitors through Belgium’s past and present. Democracy, prosperity, solidarity, pluralism, languages and Europe are among the topics explored—subjects that still resonate strongly today. The modern, engaging scenography makes these complex themes accessible without oversimplifying them.
Moving from room to room feels like turning the pages of an open book, where each chapter reveals a different aspect of Belgian life. The museum invites visitors to reflect, compare, sometimes smile and often question. It speaks both to Belgians curious about their own society and to travellers eager to understand the spirit of the country.
A timeline told through everyday objects
Along the corridors, a gallery of more than 200 Belgian objects forms a fascinating timeline from 1830 to today. Displayed chronologically, these items tell history in a different way. They reflect culture, sport, folklore, industry, inventions, fashion and above all everyday life.
Visitors encounter a saxophone, a waffle iron, pears, an Art Nouveau balustrade, Val Saint-Lambert crystal vases, a stool from Expo 58, and references to Tintin, The Smurfs, Jacques Brel and Georges Simenon. A Magritte lithograph, Christmas ornaments, a mille-croquette , a food mill, and biscuit tins decorated with the royal family also appear along the way. Familiar or unexpected, these objects often spark a knowing smile: this is Belgium.
A museum that is accessible, lively and family-friendly
BELvue also stands out for its openness and accessibility. All content is available in four languages—French, Dutch, English and German—and the free audio guide can be accessed directly on a smartphone, with no app download required. This simple solution allows visitors to tailor their experience easily.
Families are especially welcome. Treasure hunts designed for children aged 3 to 12 offer a playful way to explore the museum, with a different game for each age group. It’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy culture together without pressure—especially since entry is free for visitors under 18.
The museum also offers combined tickets that include access to the archaeological site of Coudenberg, allowing visitors to extend their exploration of Brussels and discover another fascinating layer of the city’s hidden history.
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Maestro
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Reduced mobility visitors
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92, 93 (Royale, Palais)
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Parc (1, 5) Trône , Porte de Namur (2, 6)
Opening times
Tuesday to Friday: 9.30 - 17.00 • Weekends + July and August: 10.00 - 18.00 • Closed on Mondays (except for groups), 1/01, 21/07 and 25/12
Price
• BELvue: adults €10 - 65+ €8 - students (18-25), jobseekers, disabled €5 - children (<18) free of charge • BELvue + Coudenberg: adults €18 - 65+ €14 - students (18-25), jobseekers, disabled €8 - children (<18) free of charge
Guided tour
Free audio guide on your own smartphone (EN, FR, NL, DE, IT)
Tour length
1.5 hrs • Free audio guide on your own smartphone (EN, FR, NL, DE)
Group
Price (min. 15 people) BELvue €8 • BELvue + Coudenberg €14 • Free of charge for schools
Guided tour (subject to prior booking) Guided or thematic tours, workshops and educational activities. More information at www.belvue.be
More information • www.belvue.be > prepare your tour > groups • groups@belvue.be
The BELvue is a museum about our flat country, but not just that! It's also a centre for democracy, with a host of permanent and temporary events. And over 200 objects from Belgium's past and present. Experience a 100% belgian day out when you go with the sncb.
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Experience this heritage escapade by train at a democratic price: buy your tickets for the BELvue and get a 50% discount with the discovery ticket!
Buy your e-ticket at https://www.belvue.be/ and add a free discovery ticket voucher to your shopping basket.
Look for the discovery ticket code on your BELvue e-ticket: it's a 16-character code.
Order your discovery ticket here.
Print out your discovery ticket or show the pdf on your smartphone screen when you check in on the train.
Enjoy your journey to BELvue!
Take advantage of the Discovery Ticket offer!
Weather in Brussels
Events
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Price
Groupe: 140,00 €
Dès la fin des années 40, les Italiens ont influencé notre histoire et notre vie de tous les jours, et pas seulement pour les pâtes et le Chianti !...
E-Guides, en collaboration avec le nouveau musée BELvue, vous propose un parcours pédestre dans le centre de Bruxelles, incluant deux salles du musée pour comprendre cette immigration et pour évoquer les Italiens connus ou anonymes qui ont marqué de leur empreinte notre quotidien ou celui de nos ancêtres.
Informations pratiques
Parcours pédestre, tout public
Prix: 140€ + 2€/pers (visite de 2 salles au musée BELvue)
Durée : 3h max.
Départ : Musée BELvue ou Bourse (à convenir)
Arrivée : Bourse ou musée BELvue (à convenir)
Infos et réservations via E-Guides : +32 (0) 499 21 39 85, info@e-guides.be
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Opening times
01/01/2026 - 31/12/2026: * monday: closed * tuesday, wednesday, thursday and friday: from 09:30 to 17:00 * saturday and sunday: from 10:00 to 18:00
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Price
Normal: 10,00 €
Every Wednesday afternoon and every 1st Sunday of the month, admission to the BELvue museum is free for all visitors. There is no need to purchase a ticket in advance for this.
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Opening times
01/01/2026 - 31/12/2026: * monday: closed * tuesday, wednesday, thursday and friday: from 09:30 to 17:00 * saturday and sunday: from 10:00 to 18:00
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Price
Normal: 18,00 €
For this type of tickets, you can purchase a maximum of 200 tickets. Are you over 18 and have a Museumpass or a Brussels Card ? All you have to do is present it at the museum counter without having to buy a ticket here. Do you want to come by train? Choose your ticket with "" SNCB "" in the title and benefit from a reduction for your train trip! This promotion does not apply to free tickets or to free temporary exhibitions.
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Opening times
01/09/2026 - 17/10/2026: * monday: closed * tuesday, wednesday, thursday and friday: from 09:30 to 17:00 * saturday and sunday: from 10:00 to 18:00
Discover 16 inspiring stories of projects making a real difference, in Belgium and beyond, through a unique photographic journey. Each image captures a moment in time and reveals the lasting impact behind it.
From 1 September to 17 October, the King Baudouin Foundation presents a selection of initiatives made possible through 50 years of shared commitment to social change and solidarity.
As you explore these human stories, we invite you to look beyond the photographs, connect with the emotions they evoke, and rediscover the power of collective action.
Vote for your favourite photo!
Be inspired by the 16 stories on display on the museum’s ground floor and take part in the People’s Choice Award by voting for the photograph that resonates most with you.
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Price
Normal: 5,00 €
Visite accompagnée “Histoires d’objets, histoires de vie”
Chaque premier mercredi du mois, le BELvue propose une expérience muséale douce et sensorielle conçue pour les personnes vivant avec la maladie d’Alzheimer ou des troubles apparentés, et leurs aidant·es
Cette visite en petit groupe invite à découvrir l’histoire autrement, en prenant le temps de regarder, ressentir, échanger et laisser place aux souvenirs et à l’imaginaire. Les objets du musée servent de points de départ pour éveiller les sens, faire émerger des histoires personnelles et créer du lien.
Chaque participant·e est invité·e à vivre l’expérience à son rythme, dans une atmosphère bienveillante et chaleureuse. Un carnet personnel accompagne la visite et permet de garder une trace de ce moment partagé.
Une parenthèse poétique où le musée devient un lieu de rencontre, de plaisir et de connexion entre les personnes.
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Price
Normal: 5,00 €
Atelier créatif : créer, ressentir, partager
Chaque premier mercredi du mois, le BELvue propose un atelier sensible et créatif, conçu pour les personnes vivant avec la maladie d’Alzheimer ou des troubles apparentés, et leurs aidant·es proches.
Cet atelier propose un moment d’expression et de rencontre dans l’univers du musée, sans parcours de visite. À partir d’une œuvre, d’un thème ou d’un élément de l’histoire de la Belgique, les participant·es sont invité·es à explorer leur créativité à travers le mouvement, le mime, la danse, la peinture, le collage ou l’échange.
Chacun·e peut participer à son rythme, selon ses envies et ses possibilités. Un geste, une couleur, une parole ou un souvenir deviennent des moyens de s’exprimer, de partager et de créer du lien avec les autres.
Ce temps de création favorise l’éveil des sens, l’expression personnelle et le plaisir d’être ensemble. Il offre une parenthèse chaleureuse où l’imaginaire, le corps et la mémoire se rencontrent, renforçant la complicité entre les personnes accompagnées et leurs aidant·es proches.
