Brussels · free museum days · next dates 2 and 6 December 2026Updated November 2026Free on set days · Magritte €13 and MIM €18 otherwise (November 2026)
Plan around the first Wednesday, not the first Sunday. The Magritte Museum, the Old Masters Museum and MIM are all free from 13:00 on the first Wednesday of the month, and they stand a few minutes apart around Place Royale. The next one is Wednesday 2 December 2026, and the same afternoon on paid tickets would cost an adult €38.
Older guides to free museums in Brussels often say the big federal museums open free on first Sundays, so check the date on anything you read. Those museums now use the first Wednesday, and federal rules were standardised on 1 May 2026, according to The Brussels Times. The first Sunday still exists, but it belongs to city and smaller museums. Every date, price and hour below was checked in November 2026 on museum or city pages, and I point out where those pages disagree.
Which Brussels museums are free on the first Wednesday of the month?
All federal museums in Brussels are free from 13:00 on the first Wednesday of the month, except the Planetarium. BELvue runs its own free slot from 14:00. You get about four hours at most, since these museums close at or before 17:00 on a weekday.
| Museum | Free from | Usual adult price | Weekday cut-off | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magritte Museum | 13:00 | €13 | Desk closes 16:30 | Day-of ticket only, no temporary shows |
| Old Masters Museum | 13:00 | €13, or €20 with Magritte | Desk closes 16:30 | Same desk, same rules |
| MIM | 13:00 | €18 | Museum closes 17:00 | Limited tickets per slot |
| Natural Sciences | After 13:00 | €15 | Museum closes 17:00 | Free ticket from the office, temporary shows included |
| Art & History | 13:00 | €10 listed (see below) | Ticket sales end 16:00 | Permanent collection only |
| Military Museum | 13:00 | €12 | Free slot ends 17:00 | No booking unless stated for that month |
| AfricaMuseum, Tervuren | 13:00 | €15 | Last admission 16:30 | Outside the city centre |
| BELvue | 14:00 | Not confirmed | Museum closes 17:00 | Sources differ on which Wednesdays |
The dates to use are Wednesday 2 December 2026, 6 January, 3 February and 3 March 2027. Natural Sciences is the best deal for a family, because its free slot includes temporary exhibitions and the usual adult price is €15. Children and teens already enter free at MIM and the Art & History Museum, so a first Wednesday saves a family less there than you might expect.
Two listings need a caveat. The Art & History Museum's own page shows €10, while The Brussels Times, citing Le Soir, reported a rise to €15 from May 2026, so check at booking. BELvue's listing on Brussels Museums says Wednesday afternoons from 14:00, while the association's own free museums article says first Wednesdays only. On a first Wednesday you are covered either way.
How do you get a free Magritte Museum ticket?
You collect it in person on the day, because free tickets cannot be booked online. Go to the ticket desk at the main entrance, rue de la Régence 3, not the Place Royale door, which is reserved for visitors who booked online. Tickets are subject to availability, so entry isn't guaranteed even if you arrive on time.
Here is the order I would use on a first Wednesday:
- Be at rue de la Régence 3 a little before 13:00. That margin is my own suggestion, as the museum publishes no queue figures.
- Ask for both collections, then do Magritte first. The museums' FAQ says visitors spend about 90 minutes on average, which leaves you some time in Old Masters afterwards.
- Walk to MIM by about 15:30. Book a slot if you can, because its FAQ warns that tickets per slot are limited. It closes at 17:00.
If a paid visit suits you better, don't queue for a gamble. A combined Magritte and Old Masters ticket is €20, booked online. Under-18s enter free in any case, and the admission page lists a €5 rate per museum for ages 18 to 25.
A closing day doesn't move the offer. The FAQ says a first Wednesday that falls on a closing day "will not be rescheduled".
Which Brussels museums are free on the first Sunday of the month?
The first Sunday covers city and independent museums, not the federal collections. Brussels Museums lists 18 of them in its April 2026 article. These are the ones most visitors would choose. Hours come from each museum's page or the Brussels region list.
| Museum | First Sunday hours | Next confirmed free date | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brussels City Museum | 10:00 to 17:00 | 6 December 2026 | On the Grand-Place, usually €10 |
| GardeRobe MannekenPis | 10:00 to 17:00 | 6 December 2026 | Usually included in the City Museum ticket |
| Fashion & Lace Museum | 10:00 to 17:00 | Check the museum | Run by the City of Brussels |
| Horta Museum | 11:00 to 17:30 | Check the museum | Book online |
| BELvue | 10:00 to 18:00 | Check the museum | Belgian history, Place des Palais |
| Jewish Museum of Belgium | 10:00 to 17:00 | Check the museum | Listed by the region and Brussels Museums |
| CINEMATEK | 14:30 to 22:00 | Check the museum | The only evening option here |
The City Museum and GardeRobe make the easiest pairing, since one is on the Grand-Place and the other a short walk away. Sunday 6 December also falls inside the Brussels Christmas market dates, so you can go from museum to market without using a tram.
Don't rely on the Sewer Museum for this. Brussels Museums lists it for first Sundays, while the region describes a free guided tour on first Saturdays, in Dutch at 13:30 and French at 15:00. Ask the museum which applies.
The Horta Museum is the one free Sunday worth planning a trip around, though I couldn't confirm whether free places can be reserved in advance. Its site says only an online reservation guarantees access to the house, so try that first. If you are building a day around it, the Art Nouveau walk covers the rest of the area.
Which museums in Brussels are free every day?
The Parlamentarium, the House of European History, the National Bank of Belgium Museum and the Constantin Meunier Museum all list free entry on normal opening days. They also solve the Monday problem, as the Magritte, Old Masters, MIM, Art & History and City museums are all closed on Mondays.
| Museum | Monday | Other days | Closures to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parlamentarium | 13:00 to 18:00 | Tue to Fri 09:00 to 18:00, weekends 10:00 to 18:00 | 24, 25, 31 Dec and 1 Jan |
| House of European History | 13:00 to 18:00 | Tue to Fri 09:00 to 18:00, weekends 10:00 to 18:00 | See its page for holidays |
| National Bank Museum | 09:00 to 17:00 | Tue to Fri 09:00 to 17:00, closed weekends | 11 Nov, 25 to 31 Dec 2026 |
| Constantin Meunier Museum | Closed | Tue to Fri 10:00 to 12:00 and 12:45 to 17:00 | Weekends for booked groups only |
Choose the House of European History for a wet Monday afternoon. It sits in the same EU quarter as the Parlamentarium, which recommends booking and admits walk-ins only if there is space.
Older free lists include the Wiertz Museum. Skip it, since the Fine Arts Museums' FAQ says it has been closed for renovation since 11 October 2024.
Brussels Museums says around thirty museums in the city are always free, but the region's list shows that many open only by appointment or on weekdays. Read the small print before crossing the city.
Is the Brussels Card better than free museum days?
The free day wins if your dates include a first Wednesday and you mainly want the art museums. The card wins on other days, but only if you will fit in four or more paid museums.
The official Brussels Card shop lists €41 for 24 hours, €53 for 48 hours and €59 for 72 hours in November 2026, with public transport extra at €9, €16.95 and €21.50. Magritte, Old Masters and MIM together cost €38 at listed prices, which still falls short of the 24-hour card. Add the Art & History Museum at €10 and you reach €48, which is the point where it pays, assuming you can see four collections before 17:00. Read the Brussels Card break-even test for the wider picture, though its April figures predate these prices.
Staying over a first Wednesday or a first Sunday changes how you should split a short trip. On a 48-hour Brussels weekend, a first Sunday is the only free slot you will get, so put the City Museum on that morning and pay for Magritte on the Saturday. Don't move a flight to catch a first Wednesday, though. The saving is €38 per adult at most on the Place Royale route, and a cheaper fare on another date can easily beat it.
Frequently asked questions
Are Brussels museums free on the first Sunday of the month?
Some are, but not the big federal ones any more. The Brussels City Museum, GardeRobe MannekenPis, BELvue and the Horta Museum are among those listed by Brussels Museums for first Sundays. The Magritte, Old Masters and Natural Sciences museums use the first Wednesday from 13:00 instead.
Is the Magritte Museum free on the first Wednesday?
Yes, from 13:00 on the first Wednesday of each month, covering the permanent collection only. You cannot book the free ticket online. Collect it on the day from the ticket desk at rue de la Régence 3, subject to availability. The next dates are 2 December 2026 and 6 January 2027.
When is the next free museum day in Brussels?
Wednesday 2 December 2026 is the next first Wednesday, and Sunday 6 December 2026 is the next first Sunday. After that come Sunday 3 January and Wednesday 6 January 2027. Dates that fall on a closing day are not moved: the City of Brussels lists no free Sunday for November 2026, and 1 November is a closing day for the City Museum.
Which museums in Brussels are always free?
The Parlamentarium, the House of European History, the National Bank of Belgium Museum and the Constantin Meunier Museum all list free entry. The Wiertz Museum appears on older free lists, but it has been closed for renovation since 11 October 2024. Check Monday and holiday hours, because they differ between these four.
Do you need to book free museum days in Brussels?
It depends on the museum. Magritte and Old Masters free tickets are day-of only at the desk. MIM and the Art & History Museum recommend booking because each time slot has limited tickets, and the Natural Sciences museum issues free tickets at its office to respect quotas. Book the Horta Museum online, since it says only a reservation guarantees access.
Is the Brussels Card worth it if museums are free on some days?
Not if your dates include a first Wednesday and you only want the main art museums. Magritte, Old Masters and MIM cost €38 at listed prices, and the 24-hour card starts at €41. The card makes sense on other days, if you will fit in at least four paid museums.