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Museums, Art Nouveau and the Big Screen: The best cultural passes in Brussels

Museums, Art Nouveau and the Big Screen: The best cultural passes in Brussels
Credit: Belga / Musea Brugge

Delve into Brussels' rich tapestry of history, architecture and cinema with these cultural passes;
Museum Pass offers access to 255 museums across Belgium for €59 per year
Art Nouveau Pass allows visits to three Art Nouveau museums for €20
Other special benefits include half-price train tickets and discounts in museum shops

Brussels is the second most cosmopolitan city in the world after Dubai, so it makes sense that the cultural scene is bursting at the seams. Even better: with a range of passes at your disposal, you can get your cultural kicks for fantastic value.

There is something for everyone when it comes to the cultural offering in Brussels. Three passes selected by The Brussels Times can act as excellent companions for anyone looking to delve into the city's rich tapestry of history, architecture and cinema.

Museum Pass

Signing up for the Museum Pass is a no-brainer once you hear the details. For just €59 for one year, beneficiaries have access to 255 museums across Belgium: as many as you want, as often as you want. With an average adult museum ticket costing between €10 and €15, the pass really is value for money.

Extra advantages include half-price train tickets for five separate museum visits, discounts in museum shops and a fortnightly newsletter detailing all of the must-sees the Pass has to offer. Temporary exhibitions are also included in the Pass, either free or at a reduced price.

Handout pictures released on Friday 20 September 2024, by museumPASSmusees shows the Ensor themed MuseumPass entrance subscription card. Credit: Belga

In Brussels, check out the Design Museum, Autoworld Brussels, the BELvue Museum, WIELS Contemporary Art Centre, the Porte de Hal Museum and more.

Further afield, visitors to Antwerp can drop into the photography museum FOMU, the diamond museum DIVA or the fashion museum MoMu to name but a few. There is a wide-ranging selection of exhibitions available in Flanders and Walloon cities Hainaut, Namur and Liège.

With an app that connects you with museums and exhibition tailored to your tastes and a €12 option for people with a limited income, signing up for and using the Museum Pass is a straightforward, accessible experience.

Find more information here.

Art Nouveau Pass

On sunny days in Brussels, there is no shortage of Art Nouveau architecture to marvel at as you wander through the streets. Some have even opened their doors to the public, allowing for a glimpse into this stunning, Brussels-native architectural tradition.

With an Art Nouveau Pass in hand, you can explore the top sites in the Belgian capital. From the moment of purchase, Pass holders have nine months to attend three Art Nouveau museums or exhibitions and avail of discounts in shops and on guided tours – all for just €20.

Art Nouveau in Brussels. Credit: Belga / Ans Persoons Cabinet

For €30, the Pass allows entry to two Art Nouveau museums and exhibitions and entry to Hotel Solvay, the UNESCO-listed family home the famous Victor Horta was given "absolute financial freedom" to design in the late nineteenth century. Discounts for shops and tours still apply.

Some of Brussels' most fabulous architectural sites are included in both iterations of the Pass, such as the Horta Museum, Hannon House and the Musical Instruments Museum.

An added bonus is the Pass' use during the Brussels Art Deco Year 2025, which will showcase the Art Deco style of the interwar years through special exhibitions and events. The Art Nouveau Pass is evolving into the Art Nouveau-Art Deco Pass and hopes to expand its range to include more architectural displays soon.

Find more information here.

Cineville Pass

Cinematek and Cinéma Vendôme in Brussels and Churchill in Liège. Credit: visit.brussels / Isabella Vivian / Thierry Lechanteur

Brussels has its fair share of rainy days too. What better way to get through them than a trip to the big screen?

The Cineville Pass is a true gem: for just €22.50 a month (€18.50 for under-26s), the holder of a Cineville Pass has access to six of Brussels' independent cinemas, as often as required. The price means that you've made your money back if you watch two films in one month.

What is more, the city's independent outlets are charming, cosy and authentic. Cinema Aventure is nestled away in an unseemly gallery in the city centre, Cinema Galeries can be found in an iconic 1939 building and Cinematek sets its own agenda and offers a constant stream of golden oldies to peruse.

Cinemas in all other major Belgian cities are available via the Pass too.

Find more information here.

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