Berlin Wall pieces
The Iron Curtain and its fall in tangible testimony.
Benoît Prieur — CC0 · Lora1307 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · FrDr — CC BY-SA 4.0 · FrDr — CC BY-SA 4.0
The House of European History is a free museum opened by the European Parliament in 2017 in the Art Deco "Eastman" building (a former dental clinic!) amid Leopold Park: six floors telling Europe's history from the nineteenth century to today — the industrial revolution, the two world wars, the Iron Curtain, the building of the Union — from a shared European rather than national perspective. The visit runs on a free tablet in twenty-four languages that plays the commentary automatically before each display. The exhibits are powerful: from a revolutionary guillotine to pieces of the Berlin Wall, and memories of daily life under the various regimes. A serious, moving museum about the continent you are visiting, and self-critical. In Leopold Park in the European quarter, behind the Parliament — combine it with the free Parlamentarium. Two hours for those who want to dive in.
The Iron Curtain and its fall in tangible testimony.
1930s Art Deco amid Leopold Park.
The continent's history, not the nations' — critical and moving.
Rue Belliard 135, 1000 Brussels
Parlamentarium (European Parliament Visitors' Centre)The Parlamentarium is the European Parliament's visitors' centre — Europe's larg3 minutes walk4.6
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural SciencesBrussels's natural history museum, best known for its dinosaur hall: a group of 5 minutes walk4.6
Art & History MuseumThe Art & History Museum is among Europe's largest and most varied museums, in t12 minutes walk4.3
Cinquantenaire Park and Triumphal ArchCinquantenaire Park (the "Fiftieth") was created in 1880 to celebrate fifty year12 minutes walk4.5
AutoworldAutoworld is among Europe's most beautiful car museums, in the huge south hall o13 minutes walk4.5Different, complementary, both free and minutes apart: the Parlamentarium is light and interactive about how the Union works today (for families), the House of History a serious, deep museum about how Europe got here (for interested adults). Together a half-day in the European quarter. Short on time: the Parlamentarium is lighter and quicker.