Palais royal de Bruxelles
Palace of the King of the Belgians opposite the Park of Brussels, open to the public once a year in summer: state rooms, Throne Room, Grand Gallery and garden.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Royal Palace of Brussels is the working and reception place of the King of the Belgians. It stands opposite the Park of Brussels, facing the Palace of the Nation, seat of the federal Parliament. The palace belongs to the Belgian State, which makes it available to the King. After the fire of the Coudenberg palace in 1731, the Place Royale was laid out, and several town houses were built at the end of the 18th century in the rue de Belle-vue; they form the oldest parts of the present palace.
Under King William I of the Netherlands, several rooms received their decoration. Under Leopold II, the architect Alphonse Balat designed the grand staircase and the vestibule, and the palace was enriched with state rooms such as the Throne Room and the Grand Gallery. Construction was completed under Albert I, in 1934. The interior is most often in the neo-Louis XVI style, but some rooms have kept their Austrian or Dutch decoration.
The palace houses the offices of the King and Queen as well as the services of the Royal Household. Since 1965 it has been a tradition to open it to the public in summer. The opening is organised by BELSPO, the federal public service for science policy. In 2026, after a period of renovation works, the palace reopened from 3 July to 16 August, for the first time with paid admission.
Highlights
- Grand staircase and vestibule by Alphonse Balat
- Throne Room with bas-reliefs by Auguste Rodin
- Grand Gallery with painted ceilings by Charles-Léon Cardon
- Historic state rooms from the Austrian and Dutch periods
- Stroll through the palace garden
Permanent exhibition
- Les salons historiques du Palais royal – Route up the grand staircase and through the state rooms, including the Throne Room with Rodin’s bas-reliefs and the Grand Gallery, followed by a stroll through the garden.
- Operated by
- État belge (ouverture estivale organisée par BELSPO)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 12 · Free up to and including age 12 (on the day of the visit); online booking remains mandatory for children |
| Seniors | –No discount or preferential rate |
| Visitors with disabilities | –No discount or preferential rate |
| Students & apprentices | –No discount or preferential rate |
| Groups | –Large groups are not admitted: maximum 10 people per booking, children included |
Online tickets only, no sales on site; non-refundable and cannot be changed after payment (the ticket can be transferred to another person). The museumPASSmusées is not valid. With the SNCB Discovery Ticket, the return train journey to Brussels-Central receives a 40% discount.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- 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
The first part of the visit (the first-floor state rooms) is wheelchair-accessible, with a lift; the number of wheelchairs per time slot is limited and must be indicated when booking. The second part is not accessible: the short outdoor route of 250 m is on cobblestones, and the link between the garden and the exit has stairs without a lift. Visitors are advised to come accompanied. Animals are refused, except assistance dogs.
Kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 12 |
- Stroller-friendly: not available
- Baby changing facilities
The route includes several staircases, so strollers must be carried. A baby changing table is available in one of the two toilets. Baby carriers are allowed.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Palais · 2-min walk
Metro: Parc station (lines 1 and 5), Trône (2 and 6) or Arts-Loi (1, 2, 5 and 6). Tram: Royale and Palais stops (lines 92 and 93). Bus: Trône stop (lines 12, 34, 38, 54, 64, 71, 80 and 95) and Royale stop (lines 38, 71, 92, 93 and 95). Brussels-Central station is a 10-minute walk away.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
No car park of its own; paid parking in the grey zone (Monday to Saturday, 09:00–21:00) and several underground car parks nearby.
The palace is in the low-emission zone (LEZ) of the Brussels-Capital Region. There are no bicycle racks in front of the entrance; racks are on rue Royale (nos. 4 and 20) and rue Ducale (nos. 1 and 3).
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Restaurant: not available
- Museum shop
- Coat check: not available
- Lockers: not available
Two toilets along the route. No benches and no possibility to eat or drink. Shop at the end of the route (books, guides, postcards, souvenirs; electronic or contactless payment recommended).
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | no |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | no |
| Photography | Photos allowed; tripods, other equipment, drones and extended photo sessions prohibited. |
| Good to know | Self-guided visit at your own pace, with no guide or audio guide; information panels and an online brochure are available in Dutch, French, German and English. The route climbs the grand staircase, passes through the historic state rooms and ends with a 250 m walk in the garden. Backpacks up to 30 litres are admitted; large bags, suitcases, sharp objects and sprays are prohibited; random security checks take place. |
