Musée de la Bande Dessinée

About the museum

The Musée de la Bande Dessinée is housed in the former Waucquez department store, a textile shop built by Victor Horta and opened on 31 March 1906. The building is one of the best-known examples of Brussels Art Nouveau.

In the mid-1970s the building was under threat; it was listed in 1975 thanks to the intervention of an architect who had once worked with Horta. In 1983 the Belgian state bought it to establish a venue devoted to comics. The non-profit association Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée was founded in 1984, with the cartoonist Bob De Moor as its first president. After renovation work begun in 1987, the centre opened to the public on 6 October 1989.

The museum presents the history of European comics across about 4,200 m², from its origins to the most recent creations. The permanent exhibitions cover the invention of the genre, the art of comics, the Belgian golden age and the history of the building itself. There are also temporary exhibitions, a reading room, a documentation centre, a bookshop and a brasserie, as well as many activities for families, schools and drawing enthusiasts.

Highlights

• Art Nouveau building by Victor Horta (1906)
• Exhibition “L'Invention de la Bande Dessinée”
• “Un siècle de BD belge”
• Reading room and documentation centre
• Brasserie Horta and the Slumberland bookshop

Permanent exhibitions

• L'Invention de la Bande Dessinée – A journey through history and civilisations to understand how comics were born and how to define them.
• L'Art de la BD – Comics in all their forms, from the creative process to the different genres of European production.
• Un siècle de BD belge – The rise of Belgium as a leading country for European comics since the middle of the 20th century.

Founded

1989

Operated by

Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée (ASBL)

Visitors per year

approx. 200,000

Admission & discounts

The price includes the permanent and temporary exhibitions and the reading room. Free admission with the museumPASSmusées, Brussels Card, Pass Art Nouveau, 365.be passports, ICOM cards and press cards (queue at reception). Article 27 and Belgian Sodexo culture vouchers (paper coupons) accepted. Online booking is not compulsory and does not allow you to skip other visitors.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Wheelchair users enter via a ramp through the Brasserie Horta (door to the right of the main entrance); a lift serves the other three floors, including the museum reception on the first floor. A wheelchair (in exchange for an ID document left at reception) and adapted toilets are available. Staff help on request.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Stroller-friendly
• Kids’ birthday parties

Comic workshops and courses, and an educational kit for children aged 6 to 12 on guided school visits. Birthday parties on Saturdays and Sundays (outside school holidays) from 14:30 to 17:00 for children aged 7 to 11, with treasure hunt and snack at the brasserie, booked at least three weeks in advance.

Getting there & parking

The museum is close to the Grand-Place, the Galeries Saint-Hubert and the Cathedral of Saints-Michel-et-Gudule. 40% discount on the train ticket with the SNCB Discovery Ticket, via the museum's online ticket office.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

Brasserie Horta (around 100 seats) in the building and the Slumberland bookshop and shop. Large bags and luggage can be left at reception or in lockers. Free Wi-Fi is only mentioned for the rental rooms.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 1,200 guests.

Grand hall, light wells, mezzanines, auditorium and closed rooms; up to 1,200 people standing; exclusive caterer. Day hire Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00–17:30. The brasserie can also be hired.

Plan your visit