Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

Overview

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium comprise six museums, of which the Oldmasters Museum and the Modern Museum — housed in a connected complex on the Place Royale — are the most visited. The collection spans Flemish Primitives to Belgian Surrealism.

Highlights

• Bruegel Room: Works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder including The Fall of Icarus and The Census at Bethlehem.
• Rubens Gallery: Major canvases by Peter Paul Rubens.
• Fin-de-Siècle Museum: Belgian Art Nouveau, Symbolism, and early Modernism.

History

Founded in 1801 during French occupation, the museums hold over 20,000 works. The core neoclassical building was designed by Alphonse Balat in 1887.

Visitor Tips

• Combo Ticket: One ticket covers all six museums including Magritte.
• First Wednesdays: Free entry after 13:00 on the first Wednesday of each month.
• Duration: 2–2.5 hours.