Knowledge & learning in Brussels

AfricaMuseum

Brussels

The Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren near Brussels is one of the world's largest museums dedicated to Africa. Originally built in 1898 by King Leopold II to showcase his Congo Free State at the 1897 World's Fair, it carried an unexamined colonial narrative for decades. After an extensive renovation, it reopened in 2018 as the AfricaMuseum with critically reworked collections that put Belgium's colonial history at the forefront. The grand Wilhelmine-style palace building set in an expansive château park draws visitors for its architecture alone.

Antwerp Zoo

Brussels

Arenberg Castle (Leuven)

Brussels

Arenberg Castle stands in Heverlee, a district of the Belgian university city of Leuven. The current building dates largely from the 16th century and is a fine example of Flemish Renaissance architecture: brick walls paired with sandstone window frames, two imposing corner towers bearing German eagles, with later additions in Late Gothic and Neo-Gothic styles. Today the castle belongs to KU Leuven and houses the Faculty of Engineering Science. The combination of a historic aristocratic seat and a living campus makes it an unusual destination.

Brussels Expo (Heysel Exhibition Centre)

Brussels

Brussels Expo on the Heysel Plateau in the Brussels district of Laeken is the largest exhibition centre in the Benelux region. Twelve halls with a combined 115,000 m² of floor space host Belgium's most important national and international trade fairs and events. The site is closely linked to the 1958 World Expo, for which the adjacent Atomium was also built. The halls reflect the evolution of modern construction techniques through the 20th century – from Art Deco elements of the 1930s to functional post-war buildings.

Bruxella 1238

Brussels

Bruxella 1238 is an archaeological site beneath the Bourse Palace in central Brussels, where the foundations of a Franciscan convent founded in 1238 were uncovered. The site carries particular historical weight: Duke John I of Brabant, victor of the Battle of Worringen, chose this convent as his burial place. Excavations between 1988 and 2022 brought to light building foundations, burial grounds, and various artefacts. These are now presented through an immersive underground exhibition that leads visitors through nearly a thousand years of Brussels history — right below one of the city's most recognizable landmarks.

deSingel

Brussels

deSingel is the international arts centre of the Flemish Community of Belgium, located on Desguinlei in Antwerp. The complex houses multiple stages, concert halls and exhibition spaces with programming spanning contemporary music, dance, theatre and architecture. Under one roof it hosts the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp, the Flemish Architecture Institute and the Study Centre for Flemish Music. Opened in 1975, it has built a reputation as a laboratory for avant-garde work, rarely drifting toward mainstream repertoire. Anyone exploring Antwerp culturally beyond the old city centre will find it worth a visit.

Dulle Griet

Brussels

Geeraard de Duivelsteen

Brussels

The Geeraard de Duivelsteen — literally "Gerard's Devil's Stone" — is a medieval fortress complex in the heart of Ghent and one of the oldest surviving secular stone buildings in Belgium. Its oldest section, built of large sandstone blocks, dates from the early 13th century and was constructed for Geeraard Vilain, a local knight nicknamed "de Duivel" (the Devil) on account of his dark complexion. Over the centuries the multi-wing complex served as a monastery, asylum, barracks, and prison. Today it houses the State Archive of the city of Ghent. Seen from the street, the massive facade with its tall lancet windows offers a striking and unexpected window into Ghent's deeper history.

Oostakker Basilica

Brussels

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences Museum

Brussels

The Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels' Parc Léopold is one of Europe's most important natural history museums. Part of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, it displays sections of a collection totalling around 37 million objects. The museum is internationally renowned for its Iguanodon hall: in 1878, a sensational find of 38 complete Iguanodon skeletons was made in Bernissart, Belgium — the resulting display remains one of the most impressive dinosaur exhibitions in the world. The museum combines public exhibitions with active scientific research as part of Belgium's federal science policy.

Royal Library of Belgium

Brussels

The Royal Library of Belgium (KBR) in Brussels is the country's national library and home to some of Europe's most important historical collections. Its centrepiece is the Library of the Dukes of Burgundy, one of the finest medieval illuminated manuscript collections in the world. Founded in 1837, the KBR serves as the legal deposit institution for all works published in Belgium. Beyond books, it holds maps, sheet music, coins, and archival manuscripts. Located on the Mont des Arts in the heart of Brussels, the library's reading rooms and exhibition spaces are open to researchers and the public alike.

Royal Museum of the Army and Military History

Brussels

The Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History is housed in the northern halls of the historic Cinquantenaire complex in Brussels, opened in 1923. Its extensive collection includes weapons, uniforms, vehicles, and documents from Belgium's military history from the Middle Ages to the present — including aircraft from both World Wars. Free admission makes it one of the most visited museums in the Belgian capital.

Bouchout Castle

Brussels

Oorlogsmuseum

Brussels

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Hemelvaartkerk

Brussels