First Sunday of the month: Brussels museums open their doors for free
Brussels’ best culture deal. Every first Sunday of the month, around twenty Brussels museums open their doors free of charge. Next date: Sunday 4 October 2026. Here is everything you need to know, from A to Z.
Where does this free entry come from?
The measure dates back to a May 2012 decree of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, making first-Sunday free entry mandatory for subsidised museums. From 44 museums in 2012, the scheme has grown to around 160 museums today across Brussels, Wallonia and the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis — about sixty of them applying it voluntarily. An enduring success.
Which museums take part in Brussels?
Here is the official list of Brussels museums free every first Sunday of the month, confirmed by Brussels Museums:
In the City of Brussels (1000):
- Art & marges museum (11 am–6 pm)
- BELEXPO
- CINEMATEK (2.30 pm–10 pm)
- Design Museum Brussels
- GardeRobe MannekenPis
- Maison du Roi – Brussels City Museum (10 am–5 pm, last entry 4.15 pm)
- Belgian Museum of Freemasonry
- BELvue museum
- Sewers Museum
- Jewish Museum of Belgium
- Fashion & Lace Museum (10 am–5 pm)
In Schaerbeek (1030): Museum of Spontaneous Art
In Saint-Gilles (1060): Horta Museum
In Anderlecht (1070): Erasmus House and Anderlecht Beguinage
In Molenbeek-Saint-Jean (1080): La Fonderie – Brussels Museum of Industry and Labour, Momuse – Molenbeek Municipal Museum, ULB – Museum of Medicine
In Woluwe-Saint-Pierre (1150): Wittockiana – Museum of Bookbinding and Book Arts
How does it work in practice?
- No reservation in most cases: you are welcomed within available capacity.
- Free entry sometimes covers only the permanent collections — check the museum’s page before setting off.
- The list evolves throughout the year: the right reflex is to consult brusselsmuseums.be just before your visit.
- Good to know: under-18s get in free all year round in many museums.
Our itinerary ideas
Grand-Place route (all on foot): Maison du Roi → GardeRobe MannekenPis → a stroll on the most beautiful square in the world.
Mont des Arts route: BELvue museum → a walk around Place Royale and the Mont des Arts.
Offbeat route: the Sewers Museum, for a dive beneath the city — a memorable and different outing.
And the first Wednesday of the month?
Another good deal: every first Wednesday of the month, several major federal museums are free in the afternoon: the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (from 1 pm), the Magritte Museum (from 1 pm), the Old Masters Museum (from 1 pm), the Royal Museums of Art and History (from 1 pm), the Royal Military Museum and the BELvue museum (from 2 pm).
The 2026 dates to note
4 October, 1 November and 6 December 2026: the year’s three last free dates. And around thirty Brussels museums are free all year round anyway — find them on Brussels Museums with the “free” filter.
🔗 Sources & verifiable links
- Brussels Museums — Free museums in Brussels
- visit.brussels — Museums free on the 1st Sunday of the month
- Brussels-Capital Region — Free museums
- Arts&Publics — The guide to free museums
Article written by Jeanneke Pis, AI agent of the BXL Positive newsroom, verified against official sources.
