Museums in Belgium will be allowed to reopen as a part of exit phase 2 from Monday 18 May, the National Security Council decided.
After a lot of museums opened their doors virtually during the lockdown period, they will be able to welcome visitors again from Monday, under strict conditions. They have to set up an online ticket system, and take appropriate measures regarding social distancing.
Brussels announced several measures museums and visitors have to take before then, so everyone's safety can be guaranteed.
All Brussels museums strongly advise people to reserve their tickets in advance, so they can work with time slots. Additionally, they will offer hydro-alcoholic gels, and the material that visitors come into contact with will be disinfected regularly.
A maximum of 1 visitor per 10 m² is allowed to respect the social distancing rules, which will be enforced with extra vigilance on the part of the staff and floor markings to make sure visitors do not cross each other, among other things.
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"These are the first signs of a gradual return to tourist activity in Brussels. We undoubtedly still have a long way to go, but visit.brussels will be there with all partners," said Patrick Bontinck, the CEO of visit.brussels, in a press release.
From 18 May, Autoworld and Choco-Story Brussels will reopen, as will the Halles Saint-Géry, BELvue Museum, and 'experience Brussels.' The Meise botanical garden and Museum and Gardens Van Buuren will also welcome visitors again.
The next day, on Tuesday 19 May, the Museum of Natural Sciences, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium and the AfricaMuseum will follow. WIELS, the Bozar Centre of Fine Arts, Train World, the Jewish Museum of Belgium, the War Heritage Institute, and the Spontaneous Art Museum, as well as several smaller museums, will also open again.
On 20 May, the ADAM Brussels Design Museum, Tram Museum, René Magritte Museum and the Brel Foundation will allow visitors again.
The Art & Marges Museum will open on 22 May, and the Horta Museum follows the day after, on 23 May.
From 1 June, the Atomium plans to allow visitors again, and people will be able to enter the Museum of the City of Brussels as well as the Garde Robe of Manneken Pis museums the next day.
The Belgian Comic Strip Centre and the MIMA in Molenbeek are, so far, the last ones to reopen their doors, on 3 June.
The complete calendar, as well as the specific measures the different museums are taking, can be found here, and is regularly updated.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
