10 family-friendly exhibitions and museums to discover at the end of the year
The winter holidays are the perfect time to take your friends and family to a museum. Do you love history? Are you an art fan? Looking for an idea for a day out with the kids, or a great way to treat your parents? Here are 10 exhibitions and museums in Brussels to visit during the holidays, and which are sure to appeal to all generations.
1) Cornebidouille at the Fantastic Museum - the Fantastic Museum
- From 23/12
For ages 5 and up.
The Fantastic Museum is celebrating 20 years of magic with Cornebidouille, the mischievous witch who is taking up residence at the heart of the museum. She’ll be taking you on a tour of her wacky, fanciful world.
Through 6 albums illustrated by Magali Bonniol and written by Pierre Bertrand, you can discover the adventures of this endearing witch. The scenography brings together the most emblematic moments in Cornebidouille’s life, creating a unique visual and narrative experience.
A discovery booklet accompanies the tour, with fascinating details about the witch’s world.
Warning: this exhibition is not recommended for the faint-hearted!
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2) Choco-Story Brussels
For ages 5 and up.
No festive season in Belgium without chocolate! Choco-Story takes you through the history of chocolate, from Aztec consumption to Belgian pralines, in a series of themed interactive rooms. To end your visit on a sweet note, you can watch expert chocolatiers making pralines, and of course taste them!
Those with a sweet tooth can also book a workshop to learn how to make pralines.
It’s the perfect way to spend the festive season, with a touch of sweet magic!
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3) The Wolf in underpants exposed - Comics Art Museum
- From 19/12
For ages 6 and up.
Discover The Wolf in underpants at the Comics Art Museum! Recognisable by his mythical red and white striped pants, he was born in the Les Vieux Fourneaux series. Now he’s living out his own adventures, narrated by Wilfred Lupano and drawn by Mayana Itoïz and Paul Cauuet. His adventures deal with themes of fear, friendship and solidarity in a warm and welcoming world. Alongside the wolf in his pants, you’ll meet Madame the Owl, Robert the Squirrel and the anti-wolf brigade. All in all, it’s a great way to spend some family time together, laughing and sharing.
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4) ART NOUVEAU. Unique objects with a tale to tell - BELvue Museum
- Until 7/01
For ages 6 and up.
To mark the year of Art Nouveau in Brussels, the King Baudouin Foundation is presenting several masterpieces from its collection. Each object, whether a major piece or an everyday item, tells stories from another time. You’ll discover a thousand and one anecdotes about the works of Victor Horta, Henry Van de Velde and Philippe Wolfers. Jewellery, furniture, bookbindings and many other works usually scattered around several museums are exceptionally brought together at the BELvue museum. Immerse yourself in the Art Nouveau period and style, and take in the sights.
Younger visitors can explore the exhibition using an interactive booklet. The aim? Help Victor Horta find his lost treasures in the museum!
A special KIDS workshop will also be held on 3 January for 8-12 year-olds. On the programme: discover the exhibition with a guide, games, drawings and Art Nouveau engraving (booking required).
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If you still haven’t had your fill of Art Nouveau, check out the 9 Art Nouveau museums and exhibitions not to be missed!
5) KBR Museum
- Until 7/01
For ages 6 and up.
The KBR Museum will close temporarily on 8 January 2024 for renovations, so visit it before it’s too late!
The KBR Museum, the museum of the Royal Library of Belgium, takes you 600 years back in time to discover the history of Brussels. The collection of magnificently decorated ancient manuscripts, as well as medieval paintings, sculptures and jewellery, reveals the secrets of another era. The museum also offers immersive, hands-on experiences: you can write with a pen, learn how to illustrate a manuscript or touch materials and objects. A visit that appeals to all the senses.
An interactive trail with games and experiments gives children a fun way to discover the museum.
6) Egypt: from the Pharaohs to the General - Wellington Museum (Waterloo)
- Until 14/01
For ages 8 and up.
Explore ancient Egypt with a vast collection of bronzes, weapons and ancestral statuettes taken directly from Egyptian temples. An immersive scenography will instantly transport you to the Egyptian desert, for an authentic and unforgettable experience.
For our future Egyptologists, there are fun workshops and an educational booklet. A visit that will arouse the curiosity of the youngest and delight history buffs.
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7) Giants - Institute of Natural Sciences
- Until 25/08
For ages 8 and up.
Did you know that giant animals inhabited the earth after the dinosaurs? The GIANTS exhibition takes you on a journey back in time to meet 11 extraordinary animals, both in terms of their size and their way of life. Thanks to life-size 3D representations and virtually complete skeletons, these giants will no longer hold any secrets for you.
For the duration of your visit, you can also become a budding scientist and investigate using the interactive installations and multimedia images.
It’s a wonderful opportunity to feel like a kid in the face of these historic colossi, and one that might just inspire future vocations!
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We round off our selection with three exhibitions that will appeal to both teenagers and adults. They are sure to inspire excellent intergenerational exchanges!
8) Throwaway – The history of a modern crisis - House of European History
- Until 14/01
With this exhibition, the House of European History presents a history of waste in Europe from the Industrial Revolution to the present day. How have our societies managed - or denied - waste in the past, and how do we deal with it today? This theme is all the more relevant today given the waste crisis we are experiencing.
The exhibition is an excellent opportunity to talk about sustainability with people from different generations, and to discuss the future of our societies.
9) Jean Jullien ‘Studiolo’ – MIMA
- Until 31/12
At MIMA, you can escape the dreariness of winter and plunge into Jean Jullien’s memories of holidays and wandering. A renowned French talent, Jean Jullien alternates between painting, photography, installations, illustrations and other varied creations to take visitors on an eccentric and captivating journey. Take a playful journey from the metro to his studio and (literally) enter the artist’s work. It’s a colourful tour that tells the story of a fascinating life and career. Ready for some visual poetry?
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10) Code & Algorithms. Wisdom in a Calculated World – iMal
- Until 18/02
iMAL opens the door to the fascinating world of algorithms. The exhibition offers an interactive journey through the installations of twelve artists. The links between humans and artificial intelligence, algorithmic neutrality, data protection tools, ethical issues… The different artistic experiments help us to understand how algorithms work, what the possible risks are, but also how they can contribute to finding solutions that benefit everyone. A message to the teenagers reading this: make the most of your holidays and take your (grand)parents to see this exhibition!