Top Rated Attractions in Rest of Belgium

Erected on the Place des Palais in Brussels, the Academy Palace was commissioned for the Prince of Ornage in the 19th Century. It was later possessed by King Leopold II who transformed it into the Museum of Contemporary Art. Later, additions of the Royal Academy of Medicine and the Royal academy of Science, Humanities and Fine Arts were also made to the structure. The castle was created by Charles Vander Straeten inspired by Neo-Classical design and features many spacious halls with ornate décor. Being a popular tourist spot, guided tours of the premises are organized regularly.

Contemporary art is represented here, but also artists and art movements from the last 30 years.

With its stately facade, opulent interiors and lush, formal gardens, the Royal Palace is a fitting abode for the offices of the King and Queen of Belgium. The individual rooms are lavishly adorned with crystal chandeliers, gilded details, antique furniture, exquisite artwork, and detailed carvings. Of special note is the artwork that adorns the ceiling of the Mirror Room, composed of over a million beetle carapaces inlaid to form intricate designs. Each Summer, the palace is opened to the public; a time-honored tradition that grants access to this symbol of Belgium's thriving monarchy.

This Museum first opened in the early 1980s, in what was formerly the Municipal Abbatoirs. In 1892 even an abbatoir was supposed to be a work of art. This museum specializes in modern art and is particularly renowned for its vast collection of original posters. There's a special hall dedicated to the great Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte, elsewhere you can see works by Henri Permeke, André Delvaux and Pablo Picasso. Check website for closing dates.