Musée Braille

About the museum

The Musée Braille belongs to the Ligue Braille, a Brussels association that supports blind and visually impaired people. It opened to the public in January 2009 in the association's premises on rue d'Angleterre in Saint-Gilles.

The route traces the history of raised writing from its origins to the present day. It presents the life of Louis Braille (1809–1852), who devised, at around the age of fifteen, a system of raised dots arranged in two columns of three dots, which today is used for letters, numbers, mathematical symbols and musical notes.

The collection brings together objects related to reading and writing by touch: raised-print books, old Braille typewriters and portable printers. One part of the museum also shows how Braille is used in everyday life and in current technologies.

An annex, the BELvue space, offers a chronological route through the history of Belgium via a dozen interactive modules that are explored by touch. They are designed for blind and visually impaired visitors, but are aimed at everyone. The museum also hosts awareness sessions on visual impairment, including blindfolded role-play exercises.

Highlights

• Life and invention of Louis Braille
• Raised-print books and old Braille typewriters
• Portable Braille printers
• BELvue space: the history of Belgium to discover by touch
• Blindfolded route and guiding techniques

Permanent exhibitions

• Musée Braille – Louis Braille et le braille – Route through Louis Braille's invention and the history of Braille, with raised-print books, old typewriters and portable printers.
• Espace BELvue – Tactile and chronological route through the history of Belgium, made up of a dozen interactive modules designed for blind and visually impaired people.

Founded

2009

Operated by

Ligue Braille asbl

Admission & discounts

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Accessibility

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

A museum designed for blind and visually impaired visitors, with interactive tactile modules in the BELvue space. Assistance dogs are welcome. For wheelchair access, contact the museum before the visit.

Kids & families

Awareness sessions linked to the visit are open from age 6; under-16s must be accompanied by an adult.

Getting there & parking

Address of the Ligue Braille: rue d'Angleterre 57, 1060 Saint-Gilles.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit