History & Culture Guide

Brussels with its well-preserved late 17th century centre offers two main areas for you to explore: the Lower Town, which includes the famous Grand-Place and majestic town hall; and the Upper Town, which although much smaller is the home of the art district. The town is further divided by the two spoken dialects French and Dutch. During your Belgian encounter, we insist you take the time to visit the following…

Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History

A tribute to the history of the Belgian army from 1700 to date, the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History features a unique collection of military amour, weapons, uniforms, medals, paintings and sculptures. Discover the reality of life in the trenches and stand in awe at the sheer size of the planes, tanks and ships of the Second World War. Admission is totally free! However, the museum closes for a brief hour at lunchtime, so we recommend you get there early to leave yourself plenty of time to see all the remarkable artefacts.

Musee du Cinquantenaire

One of the largest museums in Belgium, the Musee du Cinquantenaire offers you a must see collection of European artefacts, including Classical Antiquity, Greek vases and Egyptian sarcophagi, a lifelike model of Ancient Rome and Apamea’s great mosaic floor, as well as non-European art treasures from the cultural world of Islam, China, South-east and Central Asia. Be sure to pay the museum a visit and expand your art history knowledge, with the extensive exhibitions and engaging lectures.