Koninklijk Museum voor Midden-Afrika

Om museet

The museum traces its origins to the 1897 World Exhibition in Brussels. At the urging of Leopold II, its colonial section was moved to the Africa Palace in Tervuren, where the first permanent Congo Museum opened in 1898. The king saw the museum as propaganda for his colonial project, but from the outset it was also a scientific institution.

Because the palace soon proved too small, Leopold II had a larger complex built to a design by the French architect Charles Girault, who also designed the Petit Palais in Paris. The king died before it was completed; his successor Albert I opened the building on 30 April 1910. The name changed several times: from Museum of the Congo to Museum of the Belgian Congo, in 1952 Royal Museum of the Belgian Congo, and after Congolese independence Royal Museum for Central Africa. Since reopening, the institution itself has used the name AfricaMuseum.

After a five-year renovation, the museum reopened on 8 December 2018. Stéphane Beel Architects restored the protected building and added a reception pavilion and an underground gallery, increasing the public space from 6,000 to 11,000 m². The new display aims to present Africa as contemporary and decolonised, and brings artists of African origin, such as Aimé Mpane, Freddy Tsimba, Chéri Samba and Sammy Baloji, into dialogue with the collections.

Højdepunkter

• Historic museum building by Charles Girault from 1910, with the Great Rotunda
• Permanent exhibition in five thematic zones on Central Africa
• Underground introductory exhibition on the museum's past, present and future
• Work by contemporary artists such as Aimé Mpane and Chéri Samba in dialogue with the collection
• Original crocodile hall preserved as a reminder of the museum's history
• Warande park of 205 hectares around the museum

Permanent udstilling

• Vaste tentoonstelling – The main route presents, across five thematic zones, mainly Central Africa, with a contemporary and critical view of colonial history, cultures and nature.

Grundlagt

1898

Ledelse

Guido Gryseels

Entrépriser & rabatter

Gratis entré: Every first Wednesday afternoon of the month, from 13:00

Free admission also for teachers, holders of a museumPASS (collect your ticket at the box office), Brussels Card, ICOM card or Experience Pass, staff of BELSPO, press card holders and bus drivers accompanying a group. During a heatwave (yellow, orange or red alert), job seekers and people in social target groups enter free of charge. Members of the Gezinsbond receive 15% off the full price.

Tilgængelighed

• Kørestolsvenlig
• Elevator
• Handicaptoilet: ingen oplysninger
• Handicapparkering
• Servicehunde tilladt
• Taktile tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Rundvisninger på tegnsprog: ingen oplysninger
• Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Synstolkning: ingen oplysninger

The reception pavilion and the renovated museum building are fully accessible to wheelchair users. Wheelchairs and rollators must be reserved in advance via reservations@africamuseum.be. The lifts have speech output and braille symbols. Assistance dogs and guide dogs are admitted; other dogs are not. In the old museum building, spaces are reserved for people with disabilities and for buses. All rooms have texts in Dutch, French, English and German; the Faro app offers an audio guide.

Børn og familie

Velegnet til børn og familier

• Familieomvisninger & workshops
• Opgavehæfte, skattejagt eller audioguide for børn
• Interaktive stationer
• Puslerum

For children there are activity booklets (Watoto and Mabelé, for ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 12, €2 with a pencil), the AfricaMuseumQuest game, Studio 6+ with musical instruments and a rumba corner. In summer 2026 there was also a treasure hunt for families with children aged 6 and over. There are changing tables and a breastfeeding room; a picnic area on level -1 and a large playground a short walk away in the park. Allow about 2 hours for your visit.

Transport & parkering

By car via the E40, exit 22 Bertem, and the N3 towards Tervuren as far as the museum (Leuvensesteenweg 13). Cycle routes: Voervallei, Groene Gordel and Zoniënroute; day hire of bicycles at Velo in Leuven or ProVelo from Brussels.

Service & spisesteder

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museumsbutik
• Garderobe
• Opbevaringsskabe

Brasserie Africafé near the entrance, Tuesday to Friday 11:00–17:00 and at weekends 11:00–18:00 (accessible without a ticket). AfricaShop in the reception pavilion. Backpacks and large bags must be placed in the lockers on level -2 (a 50-cent or €1 coin, which is returned).

Arrangementer & udlejning

• Lokaler til leje
• Firmaarrangementer

Available for hire: the conference centre, evening events (nocturnes) in the museum and the Africa Palace. Requests via customerservice@africamuseum.be.

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