This prestigious museum incorporates the Musée d’Art Ancien (ancient art); the Musée d’Art Moderne (modern art), with works by surrealist Paul Delvaux and fauvist Rik Wouters; and the purpose-built Musée Magritte. The 15th-century Flemish Primitives are wonderfully represented in the Musée d’Art Ancien: there's Rogier Van der Weyden’s Pietà with its hallucinatory sky, Hans Memling’s refined portraits, and the richly textured Madonna with Saints by the anonymous artist known as Master of the Legend of St Lucy.
Shutterstock / Noyan Poyraz Yalcin
Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts
Top choice in Brussels
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
26.08 MILES
The medieval building and 1622 courtyard garden alone would be worth a visit, but it's the world's oldest printing press, priceless manuscripts and…
0.07 MILES
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0.42 MILES
Brussels’ magnificent Grand Place is one of the world’s most unforgettable urban ensembles. Oddly hidden, the enclosed cobblestone square is only revealed…
0.07 MILES
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1.22 MILES
The typically austere exterior doesn’t give much away, but Victor Horta’s former home (designed and built 1898–1901) is an art nouveau jewel. The…
1.33 MILES
One of Brussels’ overlooked architectural wonders, this splendid Napoleon III–style palace
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27.17 MILES
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16.24 MILES
The inventive and touchingly nostalgic Hergé Museum celebrates the multitalented creator of comic-strip hero Tintin with an engaging, inventive and…
Nearby Brussels attractions
0.04 MILES
The beautifully presented Magritte Museum holds the world’s largest collection of the surrealist pioneer’s paintings and drawings. Watch his style develop…
2. Statue of Godefroid (Godefroy) de Bouillon
0.06 MILES
The bold equestrian statue at the centre of Place Royale depicts Godefroid (Godefroy) de Bouillon, the crusader knight who very briefly became the first…
0.07 MILES
Strap on a pair of headphones, then step on the automated floor panels in front of the precious instruments (including world instruments and Adolphe Sax’s…
0.07 MILES
This 1899 former department store is an art nouveau showpiece with a black facade aswirl with wrought iron and arched windows. The building contains the…
0.11 MILES
Coudenberg Hill (now Place Royale) was the site of Brussels’ original 12th-century castle. Over several centuries this was transformed into one of Europe…
0.12 MILES
Take a chronological audio tour through the airy stuccoed interior of this former royal residence to explore Belgium’s history from independence to today,…
7. Église Notre-Dame du Sablon
0.13 MILES
The Sablon’s large, flamboyantly Gothic church started life as the 1304 archers’ guild chapel. A century later it had to be massively enlarged to cope…
0.16 MILES
The city's striking modern library is a beautifully designed space, containing a small museum about books and printing, and a top-floor cafeteria.