Brussels · European Quarter and Cinquantenaire
Art and History Museum
A very large general museum in the Cinquantenaire park, with antiquities from Egypt, Greece and Rome, European decorative arts and collections from other continents. Pick two or three sections rather than the whole building.
- 2 h 30
- €10
- Booking: not needed
- European Quarter and Cinquantenaire
Data checked on October 5, 2026
The museum was built as part of the Cinquantenaire complex and its collections cover most of human history and a lot of the world. Rooms of antiquities from the Mediterranean sit beside collections of European decorative arts and objects from other continents. The Pavilion of Human Passions, designed by Victor Horta, is in the park next to the main building. A focused visit takes about two and a half hours.
What to look for
- The Mediterranean antiquities rooms
- The collections from other continents
- The Pavilion of Human Passions in the park
- The glass roofed halls of the main building
Opening hours
| Monday | Closed | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 9:30 am–5:00 pm | last entry 4:15 pm |
| Wednesday | 9:30 am–5:00 pm | last entry 4:15 pm |
| Thursday | 9:30 am–5:00 pm | last entry 4:15 pm |
| Friday | 9:30 am–5:00 pm | last entry 4:15 pm |
| Saturday | 10:00 am–5:00 pm | last entry 4:15 pm |
| Sunday | 10:00 am–5:00 pm | last entry 4:15 pm |
Tuesday to Friday 9:30 to 17:00, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 10:00 to 17:00. Ticket sales end at 16:00, the last entry is at 16:15 and the galleries close at 16:45. Closed on Mondays, 1 January, 1 May, 1 and 11 November and 25 December. On 24 and 31 December the museum closes at 15:00.
Source: Art & History Museum, checked October 5, 2026
Tickets and booking
Adult ticket €10. The standard adult ticket covers the permanent collection. A combined Cinquantenaire ticket with the Royal Military Museum and Autoworld costs more, and entry is free on the first Wednesday of each month from 13:00.
Tickets can be bought at the desk or online for a timed slot, which saves time on busy days.
Getting there
Schuman station on metro lines 1 and 5 is within walking distance, and Merode has trams 81 and 82.
Tip
Choose your sections before you go in. The building is far too large to see in one visit, and two or three rooms done well are better than a rush through all of it.