Maison Hannon

About the museum

Maison Hannon is an Art Nouveau residence in Saint-Gilles. Édouard Hannon, an engineer with the Solvay group and a pictorialist photographer, and his wife Marie Debard commissioned its construction in 1902 from their friend, the architect Jules Brunfaut. The house was designed as a total work of art: an entirely metal conservatory projects onto the street, a bas-relief by Victor Rousseau decorates the corner, and the interior was furnished by Émile Gallé. Paul Baudouin painted the frescoes of the stairwell and the reception room, including Les Joies de la vie (1904).

After the couple's daughter died in 1965, the family sold the house, which then suffered theft and damage. The façades and roof were listed in 1976; the municipality of Saint-Gilles bought the building in 1979, and the interior was listed in 1983. For years the house housed the Contretype photography space, which opened in 1988.

A thorough restoration carried out by the municipality after 2014 covered the fresco, the mosaics, the windows and the conservatory. The non-profit association (asbl) Maison Hannon was set up in 2019 and now runs the site, which opened to the public as a museum in 2023. A second restoration campaign, carried out without closing the house, is planned until 2030.

Highlights

• Art Nouveau house by Jules Brunfaut (1902–1904)
• Entirely metal conservatory
• Bas-relief by Victor Rousseau at the corner of the avenues
• Fresco Les Joies de la vie by Paul Baudouin in the stairwell
• Exhibition on the first floor about the history of the house

Permanent exhibitions

• L'histoire de la maison – On the first floor, the exhibition traces the house's turbulent history, from its abandonment to its gradual restoration, with the people and institutions who contributed to it.
• Les Joies de la vie – Fresco by Paul-Albert Baudoüin in the stairwell, painted in 1904, restored along with the mosaics and the conservatory.

Founded

2023

Operated by

asbl Maison Hannon

Admission & discounts

Free admission with ICOM, the Pass Art Nouveau, the MuseumPassMusées (booking required) or the Brussels Card. Online booking is strongly recommended for individual visits. Part of the price of each ticket, including €2 per online ticket, goes towards the restoration. The MuseumPassMusées and the Pass Art Nouveau are not valid for guided tours.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• 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

Because of the internal staircases, the house cannot accommodate people with severely reduced mobility. Visitors are asked to notify the reception team; for any questions, write to visit@maisonhannon.be.

Kids & families

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

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