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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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