Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
4.5
About
Considered one of Brussels' greatest museums, it houses an extensive collection of works from the Flemish School, featuring a number of masterpieces by Peter Bruegel.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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How to get there
  • Naamsepoort • 7 min walk
  • Park • 9 min walk
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  • Marianne C
    Burnham, United Kingdom971 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Immersive Brueghel and old masters in fabulous space
    Reduced rates over 65. Rather chaotic process for getting rid of coats and bags but eventually got there. Space is huge and fabulous and the art is literally priceless. Well lit in small rooms easily connected with logical flow. Very pleasant visitor experience with plenty of places to sit down and relax. Highly recommend.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 6 April 2023
  • maapar
    Mount Pleasant, South Carolina901 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth seeing
    Visited here with reserved online tickets first thing in the morning. Not too crowded. Enjoyed the Old Masters section best with Bruegel, Bosch, Memling, Bouts. Then saw the Fin de Siecle which had some Impressionist paintings like Sisley, Gauguin and Post Impressionist like Seurat. You can also see the Magritte Section if you have tickets for all museums. A little difficult to find your way around from one section to another.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 May 2023
  • Brody B
    Hebden Bridge, United Kingdom3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well worth it
    At the time of writing the multi ticket costs €15, it’s well worth it. You can easily spend 3 hours in there there’s so much beautiful artwork across 9 floors. I did around 10,660 steps today going from my hotel to the train to there. Definitely recommend if you’re serious about art. The gift shop has postcards and posters of some of their best pieces too.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 12 May 2023
  • LindaWNottm
    Nottingham, United Kingdom52 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A cool, calm tonic on a busy day in Brussels.
    Wonderful collections of masters old and new. We paid for the special exhibitions a mere €15 each and very good value. They have a secure bag drop and clean facilities. We saw Fin du siecle, Magriite and the old Masters (Flemish and Dutch). It had been a very hot day in Brussels and stepping into the cool, calm atmosphere of the gallery was a tonic. Quiet and easy to navigate so you don't miss anything. A time to relax and drink in the wonderful art on display. The building is wonderful too and not to be missed. The staff so helpful.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 11 June 2023
  • Neil L
    35 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Must visit if you haven't seen the Belgian surrealists before
    A large and varied collection including Breugel, Bosch, and Magritte as well as more 'traditional' artists. I would say the combined ticket for 15 euros is good value as you can spend many hours here. Magritte has move to a temporary space because of building works which makes the flow slightly odd, and the café is closed. Also, booking online is more difficult than it should be (the UK seems to have disappeared from the list of countries!) so we queued up for the first slot of the day - mistake! The south facing entrance on a hot day is like a sauna - I would leave it half an hour and there will probably still be plenty of tickets available.
    Visited July 2023
    Written 18 July 2023
  • Dani E
    26 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth visiting
    The Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels is definitely worth a visit. It houses famous paintings, and the entry was very quick as there weren't many people. It's a pity that the Museumpass cannot be used, considering it's the main museum of the city. There could even be a discount on the admission for people who have the Museumpass.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 22 August 2023
  • Samuel007
    Exeter, United Kingdom335 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent galleries, but nothing to eat or drink!
    We went, as it happened, on the first Wednesday of the month, in the afternoon, and found to our surprise that admission that day was free! There is also a concession worth noting for Eurostar travellers. Magritte is presently confined to a deep basement gallery while his usual quarters are refurbished, but the paintings are well displayed in plenty of space (unlike the subterranean exhibition area in our own National Gallery) and there was an interesting section describing his life. Magritte is not my favourite painter - too troubled and troubling - but I can appreciate his amazing painting skills even when the picture itself is the stuff of nightmares. Upstairs again, the Old Masters are very well displayed. The emphasis is on the early Flemish masters, of course, but there is also a good selection of 17th century Dutch paintings. In the midst of all this earnest art appreciation, it would have been a relief to find a little refreshment, but there was none, even though I am almost sure the website promised two restaurants. Whether this lack is temporary or permanent, I do not know.
    Visited August 2023
    Written 29 September 2023
  • CJTravelerTexas
    Texas9,003 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Wonderful Collection of Art
    Persons in Brussels for the first time should consider visiting the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, which house an impressive collection. Despite requiring considerable walking and navigating a number of stairs, these museums are well done. I was particularly impressed with the lighting in these museums, which made photography easy.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 15 October 2023
  • RonL40
    Utica, New York3,565 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A revelation. Wonderful museum with superb collection.
    The collection is superb, especially if you are interested in the work of the Dutch Golden Age... great pieces by Hals, Steen, Metsys, Membling, Bosch, Rubens, Van Dyck and many more. There is a wonderful group of paintings by Roger van der Weyden -- rare for a museum to have more than one and here there are a half dozen. The equally large group of pieces by Brueghel are a revelation... the museum has made an effort to education, as you'll see in the media used to interpret / enlarge both the Brueghel and the Hals works. Plus there is a marvelous group of Magritte works in the same building. This is a museum that must be seen. AND beyond the works, the staff are the most helpful people we've ever encountered in a museum. Truly friendly people who answered all our questions and assisted us in every way we asked. Equalled by the ease through which you can maneuver through the building. Superb signage, very easy to navigate. Altogether, one of the best experiences we've ever had in the hundreds of art museums we've visited. Highest recommendation possible.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 November 2023
  • Tony R
    London, United Kingdom66 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not to be missed
    Wonderful works of art particularly of the Dutch & Flemish old masters. And you ca really get so close to the pictures that enables you to see all of the details. Fascinating room near the start with a Google-created large screen analysis and explanations of details in selected pictures by the old masters. Check opening times.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 19 December 2023
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,798 reviews
Excellent
919
Very good
635
Average
170
Poor
47
Terrible
27

EvaP P
Washington, DC33 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Business
Brussels is easy to navigate, I used mostly public transportation. Once you get to the most "touristy" area, everything is reachable by walking. I have seen the Gran Place, the famous Mannequin and the shopping arcades within one day. There are a lot of place to stop by and eat along the way. On a second day I visited one of the cathedrals, Museum of Money and the Royal Museum of Fine arts. Highly recommend all.
Written 8 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Craig_Tapper
Sydney, Australia833 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Solo
I had a spare afternoon on a cold January day (-6C) so a warm museum seems the ideal place to spend some time. An excellent collection of the Dutch School and Old Masters including (unsurprisingly) lots of Rubens and Brueghel but also some Rembrandt, Hieronymous Bosch, Frans Hals, and many more. For the bargain price of 10 Euro (8 if you're over 65 or as student) it's hard to fault the collection or curation. A great afternoon.
Written 12 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

margatemensch2016
Coconut Creek, FL796 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Solo
It was a privilege to return to the delightful Old Master's Art Museum with its encyclopedic collection of Netherlandish and Flemish Paintings.I spent two days perusing its wonderful art works.My last visit was in 1989. Netherlandish painters well represented included Master of Flemalle,Rogier Vander Weyden,Hieronymous Bosch,Hans Memling,Petrus Christus,Adriean Isenbrant,Gerard David,Dieric Bouts,Joos Van Cleve, Jan Massys,Jan Vermeyan,and Bernard Orley,among others.
Flemish Painters with paintings worthy of encomium included Pieter Breughel the Elder,Pieter Breughel the Younger,Jan Hemessen,Joachim Beukelaer,Peter Paul Rubens,Jacob Jordaens,Anton Van Dyck,Theodore Rombouts,David Teniers the Younger,and Gerard de Lairesse,among others.
Top twelve Netherlandish and Flemish favorites were Hieronymous Bosch's"Crucifixion With Saint Peter and Donor",Hans Memling's"Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian",Joos Van Cleve's"Virgin and Christ Child With Saints Anne and Joachim",Bernard Van Orley's"Haneton Triptych",Jan Vermeyan's"Triptych of Micault Family,Resurrection",Dieric Bouts'"Justice of Emperor Otto,Beheading of Count",Pieter Breughel the Elder's"Winter Landscape With Bird Trap",Jan Hemessen's"Prodigal Son",Jacob Jordaens'"Allegory of Fertility",David Teniers the Younger's"Archduke Leonard William in Gallery of Italian Paintings"Theodore Rombouts'"Prometheus",and Peter Paul Rubens'"Paracelsius".
Since the Old Masters Art Museum is very comprehensive,I confined my review to its marvelous Netherlandish and Flemish Paintings.I also appreciated the fact that this art museum has labelling of their works of Art in English as well as French.It has a plethora of information in English about the artists and their works.
Written 22 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tony R
London, UK66 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
Wonderful works of art particularly of the Dutch & Flemish old masters. And you ca really get so close to the pictures that enables you to see all of the details. Fascinating room near the start with a Google-created large screen analysis and explanations of details in selected pictures by the old masters. Check opening times.
Written 19 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RonL40
Utica, NY3,565 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
The collection is superb, especially if you are interested in the work of the Dutch Golden Age... great pieces by Hals, Steen, Metsys, Membling, Bosch, Rubens, Van Dyck and many more. There is a wonderful group of paintings by Roger van der Weyden -- rare for a museum to have more than one and here there are a half dozen. The equally large group of pieces by Brueghel are a revelation... the museum has made an effort to education, as you'll see in the media used to interpret / enlarge both the Brueghel and the Hals works. Plus there is a marvelous group of Magritte works in the same building. This is a museum that must be seen. AND beyond the works, the staff are the most helpful people we've ever encountered in a museum. Truly friendly people who answered all our questions and assisted us in every way we asked. Equalled by the ease through which you can maneuver through the building. Superb signage, very easy to navigate. Altogether, one of the best experiences we've ever had in the hundreds of art museums we've visited. Highest recommendation possible.
Written 28 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CJTravelerTexas
Texas9,003 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
Persons in Brussels for the first time should consider visiting the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, which house an impressive collection. Despite requiring considerable walking and navigating a number of stairs, these museums are well done. I was particularly impressed with the lighting in these museums, which made photography easy.
Written 15 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Samuel007
Exeter, UK335 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023
We went, as it happened, on the first Wednesday of the month, in the afternoon, and found to our surprise that admission that day was free! There is also a concession worth noting for Eurostar travellers. Magritte is presently confined to a deep basement gallery while his usual quarters are refurbished, but the paintings are well displayed in plenty of space (unlike the subterranean exhibition area in our own National Gallery) and there was an interesting section describing his life. Magritte is not my favourite painter - too troubled and troubling - but I can appreciate his amazing painting skills even when the picture itself is the stuff of nightmares. Upstairs again, the Old Masters are very well displayed. The emphasis is on the early Flemish masters, of course, but there is also a good selection of 17th century Dutch paintings. In the midst of all this earnest art appreciation, it would have been a relief to find a little refreshment, but there was none, even though I am almost sure the website promised two restaurants. Whether this lack is temporary or permanent, I do not know.
Written 29 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Aldermary
London, UK19 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
This review is in two parts
The actual galleries are definitely a 5 *. Great paintings by Breugal, Reubens, van Dyck giving a truly enjoyable experience
But for a lack of inclusion it gets a 1*. Our friend walks with a stick and she was told that she couldn’t use it in the galleries and it had to be put in a locker. This obviously impeded her mobility and therefore access and this was exacerbated by the poor signage and multiple stairs in the building
Written 8 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Martin B
Crickhowell, UK27 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Solo
I say I went in September but I had a ticket which due to illness I requested a refund or deferred date, no chance not even refunded for the audio equipment I didn't use. Not very flexible or maybe too lazy to offer a refund with an admin cost for pressing a few computer keys to accommodate.my request.
Written 7 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dani E
26 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
The Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels is definitely worth a visit. It houses famous paintings, and the entry was very quick as there weren't many people. It's a pity that the Museumpass cannot be used, considering it's the main museum of the city. There could even be a discount on the admission for people who have the Museumpass.
Written 22 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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ROYAL MUSEUMS OF FINE ARTS OF BELGIUM: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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