Musée royal de l'Armée et d'Histoire militaire

About the museum

The Royal Army and Military History Museum was born after the 1910 World Exhibition, when the young officer Louis Leconte gathered some nine hundred objects to illustrate Belgium’s military past. Given its success, the authorities decided to keep the collection and entrusted its care to Leconte. It was first housed in former premises of the Military School, at the Abbey of La Cambre.

After the First World War, private donations and gifts from foreign governments greatly enriched the collection. In 1923 the museum moved into the north wing of the Cinquantenaire palaces, in the pavilion built by the architect Gédéon Bordiau. After the Second World War it diversified: an Air and Space section in 1972, an Armoured Vehicles section in 1980, weapons and armour from the Porte de Hal museum in 1986, and then the Navy in 1996.

Today the museum belongs to the War Heritage Institute. It occupies five large exhibition halls, around 40,000 m², from the Air Hall to the Bordiau Hall, passing through the 14-18 room, the weapons and armour, the French Empire and the historical room. The route runs from the Middle Ages to modern aviation and also offers activities for families and schools.

Highlights

• Air Hall with a large collection of aircraft
• Medieval weapons and armour
• 14-18 room on the First World War
• Bordiau Hall with modern museography
• Sky Café among the aircraft, with a terrace

Permanent exhibition

• Du Moyen Âge à l'aviation – Route through the museum’s rooms: Air Hall, weapons and armour, French Empire, historical room, 14-18 room, Bordiau Hall and the navy.

Founded

1923

Operated by

War Heritage Institute

Admission & discounts

Free admission: The first Wednesday of the month from 13:00

Free with the museumPASSmusées, the Brussels Card and other cards (see the museum’s Prices page for details). 40% discount on the train ticket with the SNCB Discovery Ticket. Payment at reception in cash or by bank card, or online.

Accessibility

• Partially 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: no information

Access-i certified museum. Most rooms are accessible: those on the ground floor are step-free, and the upper floors can be reached by a platform lift or a lift. Not accessible by wheelchair: the mezzanines of the Air Hall, the French Empire section and the Second World War rooms. Wheelchair users enter through the Air Hall; motorised access to the esplanade is through the barrier on rue de la Chevalerie and avenue des Nerviens. Adapted toilets on the ground floor and the upper floor. Only assistance dogs are admitted.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities
• Kids’ birthday parties

Activities for ages 4 to 18: events and workshops, trail games, digital trails, geocaching and an online guide; the museum has the label “approved by and for children”. Pushchairs are allowed, except on the Air Hall mezzanines, the arcades and the panoramic terraces; changing table in the adapted toilets; drinks machine at the exit of the 14-18 room, and benches in several rooms. Birthday parties for children aged 6 to 12 (up to 15 children, one hour and thirty minutes, €85 on weekdays or €95 at weekends, plus €3 admission per child), to be booked at least three weeks in advance.

Getting there & parking

Brussels is a low-emission zone (LEZ); the museum recommends public transport. Address: Parc du Cinquantenaire 3.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

Sky Café (light meals and sandwiches, terrace with a view of the aircraft), open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00, kitchen until 14:00. The shop is free to enter through the main entrance. Lockers are free at reception; backpacks are not allowed in the rooms. Picnics are not permitted.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit