한국어
TOP 10

See the Building First: 10 Brussels Museums Tracing Flemish Masters to Magritte and Comics

Updated 10/9/2026
See the Building First: 10 Brussels Museums Tracing Flemish Masters to Magritte and Comics

The best Brussels museums are the ten that let you compare Flemish painting, Magritte, comics, and Art Nouveau architecture within one city.

Brussels museums are most rewarding when you link places from different eras and media instead of stopping at one or two headline collections. Flemish master painting, Magritte's surrealism, Art Nouveau architecture, comics, design, and contemporary art overlap tightly in a single city. Many visitors are unsure where to begin, or how to split the Royal Museums and the Magritte Museum, which share an entrance.

This list starts at the Royal Museums and Bozar on Mont des Arts, then moves to the Comic Strip Center downtown, contemporary spaces by the canal and to the south, and an Art Deco house. The order reflects how easy each place is for a first-time visitor and how representative its collection is.

How to read this list

  • First visit: start with ranks 1 to 3 around the center
  • Comics or design: begin with ranks 6 and 8
  • Contemporary art: set aside a separate day for ranks 4 and 10
01

Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

A national collection tracing Belgian art from Flemish masters like Bruegel and Rubens to the modern era. Sort out which period the Old Masters and Fin-de-Siècle museums each cover before entering. Allow half a day.
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
02

Magritte Museum

A dedicated museum gathering René Magritte's paintings, drawings, photographs, and advertising work. The pleasure is spotting where a familiar object and its name come apart and make you doubt what is real. map your route first.
Magritte Museum
03

Bozar (Centre for Fine Arts Brussels)

A multidisciplinary venue in a Victor Horta building, hosting international art, photography, and performance programs. Reading the architecture, with halls layered into a sloping site, is nearly as rewarding as the shows. Entrances change by event, so check the day's program.
Bozar (Centre for Fine Arts Brussels)
04

WIELS Contemporary Art Centre

A contemporary art center in a converted brewery that runs international exhibitions, residencies, and education programs. Notice how many shows put an artist's research and making on view instead of finished pieces. It lies in the Forest district, so plan a tram ride; schedules shift often.
WIELS Contemporary Art Centre
05

MIM – Musical Instruments Museum

A museum of instruments and playing traditions from many regions, housed in an Art Nouveau building. Linking each instrument's shape and material to its sound, origin, and the player's gestures turns displays into stories. Check audio guide rental and whether the top-floor viewpoint is open.
MIM – Musical Instruments Museum
06

Belgian Comic Strip Center

Inside a Victor Horta building, this museum shows original Belgian comic art beside the publishing process behind it. Beyond Tintin and the Smurfs, you can see how panels are laid out, printed, and translated. Group visits cluster at certain hours, so an early morning visit is calmer.
Belgian Comic Strip Center
07

Art & History Museum

A broad museum covering European decorative arts, ancient civilizations, and heritage from outside Europe. Read the panels on how objects were gathered during the imperial era instead of admiring pieces alone. Galleries close often, so check official channels and pair it with Cinquantenaire Park.
Art & History Museum
08

Design Museum Brussels

A specialized museum following Belgian contemporary design with plastics at its center. Tracing how new materials changed furniture, daily living, and thinking about environmental issues makes for an interesting visit. A combined Atomium ticket is sometimes offered, so check transport north.
Design Museum Brussels
09

Van Buuren Museum and Gardens

An Art Deco house where a private collection of paintings, furniture, and gardens is preserved together. The point is seeing how the architect, designers, and collector shaped the whole living space like one artwork. Booking may be required and garden areas change with the seasons, so confirm first.
Van Buuren Museum and Gardens
10

CENTRALE for Contemporary Art

A city-minded exhibition space presenting Brussels-based artists alongside international contemporary art. It stands out for treating the identity and social questions of a multilingual city through collaborations between artists and residents. Confirm the current address first.
CENTRALE for Contemporary Art

How to choose

On a first trip with two days, you could pair #1 the Royal Museums with #2 the Magritte Museum, and #3 Bozar with #6 the Comic Strip Center. For contemporary art, plan #4 WIELS and #10 CENTRALE separately; for architecture and living spaces, #9 Van Buuren fits.

Compare opening hours, closures, booking needs, and distance from the center first. Information reflects the research date and may change, so check official channels before you visit.

Frequently asked questions

Can I see both the Royal Museums and the Magritte Museum in one day?

They share the same complex and entrance area, but combined tickets and opening hours can differ, so check before you go. Cramming classical painting and surrealism into one day gets tiring, so budget at least an hour for each.

Is the Belgian Comic Strip Center good to visit with kids?

Exhibits featuring Tintin and the Smurfs make it enjoyable for children, and there is plenty for adults in the sections on original art, printing, and translation. Family crowds build up at certain hours, so an early morning visit is recommended.

What's the best way to reach WIELS or MIMA, which sit outside the center?

WIELS requires a tram ride out to the Forest district and MIMA sits by the canal, so it is more efficient to set aside a separate day than to squeeze them into a Grand Place itinerary. Both run mainly temporary exhibitions, so check installation dates and current shows on their official sites.

Do I need to book the Van Buuren Museum in advance?

Advance booking may be required, and the garden's open areas change with the season. Once you have a date, check the official channels for booking details and garden access first.

What is the Design Museum Brussels usually combined with?

A combined ticket with the Atomium is sometimes offered, so many visitors plan it together with the north of the city. Ticket bundles and prices can change, so confirm on the official channels before you go.

NEWSLETTER

Get new lists before anyone else

Once a week — only the new lists worth your time.

No spam · unsubscribe in one click

You may also like

Zurich's Museums Are Really About How Things Get Organized
TOP 10세계 미술관 여행

Zurich's Museums Are Really About How Things Get Organized

A Zurich art trip, from Kunsthaus to the Winterthur photo museum, is about comparing how each place classifies and arranges its works rather than chasing one masterpiece.

From Marble to Turbines: How Rome Stages Power Through Art
TOP 10세계 미술관 여행

From Marble to Turbines: How Rome Stages Power Through Art

Rome's museums, from the Borghese and Vatican classics to MAXXI and a power plant full of marble, show ten ways power gets staged as art.

Lisbon Put Its Identity in Tile, Not Just Paint — 10 Museums to Prove It
TOP 10세계 미술관 여행

Lisbon Put Its Identity in Tile, Not Just Paint — 10 Museums to Prove It

Lisbon's museums read best through tile, architecture, and private collections, and these 10 stops run from Ancient Art and Gulbenkian to Paula Rego in Cascais.

See Only the Uffizi and You've Seen Half of Florence
TOP 10세계 미술관 여행

See Only the Uffizi and You've Seen Half of Florence

From the Uffizi to the Accademia and Pitti Palace, ten Florence Renaissance museums ranked by booking rules and how to route between them.

This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
10 Best Art Museums in Brussels | Golladream