M Leuven

About the museum

M’s origins lie in an 18th-century cabinet of curiosities in Leuven’s town hall. From 1823 the collection was called the Museum of Paintings; under city archivist Edward van Even (1821-1905) it grew into a full-fledged historical museum. Van Even and his successor Victor Demunter greatly expanded the collection.

In 1917 Victor Vander Kelen gave his parental home to the city. Three years later the Vander Kelen-Mertens Municipal Museum opened there, named after his parents. During the 20th century the collection broadened and the building was extended several times; in the early 1990s the salons of the townhouse were restored and refitted as historical period rooms.

In the new millennium the museum got a fresh start. Architect Stéphane Beel designed a new building incorporating the most valuable parts of the old complex. After three years of construction it opened on 20 September 2009 under the new name M Leuven. The collection counts more than 58,000 objects from the Stone Age to the present, with strong representation of Late Gothic, Renaissance and 19th-century art, and a collection of contemporary art with about 700 works by around 130 artists. Besides the museum building, the Sint-Pieterskerk on the Grote Markt also belongs to M.

Highlights

• Collection of more than 58,000 objects, from the Stone Age to today
• Late Gothic and Renaissance art, closely linked to Leuven and the Duchy of Brabant
• Contemporary Belgian art: about 700 works by around 130 artists
• Museum building by Stéphane Beel with museum garden and café
• Sint-Pieterskerk as a second exhibition venue on the Grote Markt

Founded

2009

Operated by

Autonoom Gemeentebedrijf Museum (stad Leuven)

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Residents of Leuven: every first Thursday evening of the month (after 18:00)

Prices adjusted in April 2026. Free entry also for holders of a museum pass, KU Leuven cultural card, ICOM/IKT, Klasse card or Carte Prof, Leuven guides, members of the Flemish Art Collection, M-ambassadors and M-art patrons, and with a valid press card. M also accepts the Gezinsbond card, UiTPAS and the ILUVLeuven Ticket. With the code on your ticket you get a discount on an NMBS Discovery Ticket. Discounts apply on presentation of valid proof, one ticket per discount holder.

Accessibility

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

M is fully accessible by wheelchair and pushchair; all floors are reachable by lift, including the garden, the café and the toilets. Two wheelchairs can be reserved (reservations@mleuven.be or +32 16 27 29 29); folding stools are available at the reception. Free escort to and from M or the Sint-Pieterskerk can be requested at least five days in advance. With a parking card for people with a disability there are twelve spaces in the Ladeuzeplein underground car park, about fifty metres from M. In the visitor app most exhibitions are explained with text, audio or video; some have a guided tour with audio description. Recognised assistance and therapy dogs are welcome. M is a member of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area

For families there are family routes in the exhibitions (for the Sint-Pieterskerk, a version for children aged 4 to 6 and one for children from 7 years old, in Dutch, French and English). Children can sit on folding stools, buggies may enter the galleries, and buggies can be borrowed at the buggy point at M. The museum garden has a climbing wall and a barefoot path; on summer weekends there is the Museumspelstraat with toys and supervised activities. Changing tables in the toilets.

Getting there & parking

If you want to avoid the busy centre, park on the edge of the city and take the bus into the centre for free. An NMBS Discovery Ticket with discount is available via the code on your museum ticket.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Lockers

Barbóék in M is a coffee bar and museum shop, open to everyone during opening hours (also wheelchair accessible). Lockers work with a coin or a token from the reception; hand luggage larger than 34 x 22 cm must go in a locker or the cloakroom. M is a “Hartelijke Plek” (“warm place”) of Enchanté: people in need can use, free of charge, among other things Wi-Fi, toilets and a changing table.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Corporate packages: nocturne (after opening hours from 18:30, from €2,500 excl. VAT for 50 people), museum breakfast, seminars for up to 25 people and team-building with the TeaM game. Catering via local partners.

Plan your visit