The Top 10 Museums in Belgium
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As you’re preparing to on mobility, one of the most exciting projects you could be working on is your big ‘Things to Do & See Abroad’ list. If Belgium is the country you’re going to call home for next couple of months, we’ve got you covered: below you can find a list of the top 10 museums that deserve a prominent place on your list.
1. Musée Magritte Museum, Brussels
The first museum on the list is located in the centre of Brussels, which is the place where surrealist René Magritte’s studied and developed his art. This outstanding museum houses the largest Magritte collection in the world: you’ll find numerous drawings, sculptures, paintings, photographs and more. The large exhibition is created around specific periods of his artistic career, from the beginning right up to the end.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Link: https://musee-magritte-museum.be/en
2. The Museum by the Stream (MAS), Antwerp
The Museum by the Stream (Museum Aan de Stroom – MAS) is located at the North of the city of Antwerp. With its opening date almost 12 years ago, on May 14th 2011, it is Antwerp’s the newest and largest museum. The museum is built around leitmotif ‘The Connection Between Antwerp & The world’ and shows this with a selection of permanent and temporary exhibitions. There is, however, another good reason to visit the MAS, namely: the rooftop view. This stunning view look out over the city and the harbour and is even accessible without paying the entrance fee.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Link: https://mas.be/en
3. Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst – S.M.A.K. (The Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art), Ghent
Located at the edge of the city of Ghent, in what used to be a casino, The Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art is home to a collection of more than 3000 contemporary pieces of art by world-class artists national and international artists like Andy Warhol and Francis Bacon. Its extensive collection covers many significant art movements like Cobra, Pop Art and even Minimal Art. Next to the permanent collection the museum offers a new exhibition three times a year. This museum is a true haven for lovers of modern art.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Link: https://smak.be/en
4. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels
This is museum is affectionately called ‘The Dinosaur Museum’ by most Belgian children and is, as its nickname hints to, the first non-art museum on this list. In fact, this stunning museum is home to the largest dinosaur exhibition in Europe. In this museum you will find skeletons of enormous historic dinosaurs, but there are also exhibitions on evolution, minerals and biodiversity. This museum is the top choice for any natural science lover.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Link: https://www.naturalsciences.be/en/museum/home
5. Dossin Casern, Mechelen
The Dossin Casern used to be an army base in the city of Mechelen and it currently a memorial, research centre and museum about the Holocaust and Human Rights. During the Second World War Dossin Casern was occupied by the Germans and turned into a detention and deportation camp. Between the years 1942 to 1944 over half of the Belgian Jews that were killed during the war passed through Dossin Casern. The museum tells this horrifying story with photos, document, interviews and multimedia. But it also casts a broader lens on War and Human Rights, both historically as well as current.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Link: https://kazernedossin.eu/en/
6. Museum of Music Instruments, Brussels
The Brussels Museum of Music Instruments (MIM) is internationally renowned and a breath of fresh air in the museum world. It’s located in a gorgeous Jugendstil building on the Palace Royale in Brussels and exhibits all kinds of instruments from all corners of the world. There is also a rooftop restaurant where you can enjoy lunch and look out over the city, which most certainly [Vd1] [ma2] this museums’ appeal.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Link: https://www.mim.be/en
7. Horta Museum, Sint-Gilles
With a maximum number of visitors of 45 this is the smallest museum on the list. But it is also definitely one of the most charming museums in Brussels. The museum is housed in the Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta’s former home that he built for himself to live and work in. This is one of the three houses designed by Victor Horta that are on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage list. For architecture and design lovers it’s definitely worth a visit!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Link: https://www.hortamuseum.be/en/Welcome
8. In Flanders Fields, Ieper
This museum is not in a large city like many of the museums on this list: in Flanders Field is located in the charming town of Ieper. The museum delves deep into the history of the First World War, but interestingly also makes the connection to the impact of the war on society more than 100 years later. What is special about this museum is that it focuses on the personal and deeply human stories of former soldiers, artists and everyday people. So, if you want to learn about the First World War, this is the place to go.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Link: https://www.inflandersfields.be/
9. Groeningemuseum, Bruges
Locates in arguably the most beautifully quaint city of Belgium, Bruges, this museum offers an overview of the history Belgian visual art. The museum houses a vast collection of works starting from 14th century pieces all the way up to more modern art of the 19th century. World-renowned painters such as René Magritte, Emile Clause, Bram Bogart, Jann can Eyck and Hans Memling all have a place within this museum.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Link: https://www.museabrugge.be/en/visit-our-museums/our-museums-and-monuments/groeningemuseum
10. Euro Space Center, Libin
You will have a fantastic day in the immensely popular Euro Space Center if you are interested things like space, galaxy and rockets. The center houses a replica of NASA space shuttle, a planetarium, a 5D Space Show and even a moonwalk simulator. With all of these activities this a true ‘experience’ museum or theme park, so you almost can’t get bored if you decide to give this wonderful place a visit.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Link: https://www.eurospacecenter.be/en/
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That’s it! I hope you enjoyed this list of the best museums in the Belgium. Be sure to let us know your favourites in the forums via this link: https://academy.europa.eu/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=8691#p18209
Until next time!
Marieke, OLS Community Manager - Dutch
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