Atomium

The Atomium was built for the 1958 World's Fair and was meant to stand for six months. Its nine spheres, clad in aluminium, show the unit cell of an iron crystal. You enter through the base and move between the five open spheres through tubes, with exhibitions on the history of the building and temporary shows along the way. The top sphere has the panorama over Brussels and the Heysel plateau.

What to look for

• The panorama sphere at the top
• The permanent exhibition on the building's history
• The walk through the tubes between spheres
• The Design Museum Brussels, covered by the same ticket

Opening hours

Open every day, 10:00 to 18:00, with the last entry at 17:30. On 24 and 31 December it closes at 16:00 and on 25 December and 1 January it opens at noon. The building is closed for annual maintenance from 18 January to 5 February 2027.

Source: Atomium, checked October 5, 2026

Tickets and booking

Adult ticket €17. The standard adult ticket covers the five open spheres, the exhibitions, the panorama and the Design Museum Brussels next door.

Tickets are sold at the door, but you can also buy them online on the official site. The official site names 11:00 to 15:00 as the busiest hours.

Getting there

Heysel / Heizel station on metro line 6 is a short walk from the entrance.

Open in Google Maps

Tip

Arrive at opening or after 15:00 to avoid the longest lines. The panorama is poor in low cloud, so check the sky first.