Musical Instruments Museum (MIM): Art Nouveau and music
Brussels: Brussels 49 Museums Atomium and Discounts Card
Is the Musical Instruments Museum in Brussels worth visiting?
Yes — the MIM is a double draw: a world-class collection of 1,200+ instruments (with audio headphones that play each as you approach) housed in the spectacular Art Nouveau 'Old England' building, topped by a rooftop café with one of the best free-ish city views. Great for music lovers, architecture fans and anyone wanting a rainy-day highlight. Allow 1.5–2 hours.
A music museum inside an Art Nouveau jewel
The Musical Instruments Museum (MIM) is one of Brussels’ most delightful surprises — and a rare case where the building is as much a reason to visit as the collection. It occupies the “Old England”, a striking black iron-and-glass Art Nouveau former department store (1899), and inside holds a world-class assembly of 1,200+ instruments across cultures and centuries. Crowning it all is a rooftop café with one of the city’s best views. Music lover or not, it’s a winner. See it among the best museums.
The clever audio system
The MIM’s signature feature: infrared headphones that you wear throughout. As you walk up to an instrument, the system automatically plays a recording of it — so you don’t just see a 17th-century harpsichord or a Javanese gamelan, you hear it. It turns a museum of silent objects into a living soundscape, and it’s genuinely magical, especially for children.
The collection
- European instruments from the Renaissance to today — keyboards, strings, brass, woodwind, the bizarre and the beautiful.
- Folk and traditional instruments from Belgium and Europe.
- Non-Western instruments from across the world — a serious ethnomusicology collection.
- Mechanical and historic curiosities — automatons, early pianos, oddities.
Allow 1.5–2 hours, more for enthusiasts.
The building and the view
- The “Old England” Art Nouveau façade is a highlight in its own right — wrought iron and glass, a contrast to the classical Place Royale around it (hidden Art Nouveau gems).
- The rooftop café/terrace offers a sweeping panorama over Brussels — the lower town, spires and rooftops. You can often visit the café for the view; it’s one of the best urban viewpoints in the centre.
Practical info
- Where: Rue Montagne de la Cour, on the Mont des Arts, upper town — short uphill walk from the Grand-Place.
- Tickets: modestly priced; covered by museum passes (Brussels Card, and a multi-museum card).
- Closed Mondays; check current hours.
Combine on the Mont des Arts
The MIM sits in Brussels’ museum cluster, so pair it:
- MIM — instruments, building, rooftop view.
- Magritte Museum (guide).
- Royal Museums of Fine Arts (guide).
- Mont des Arts gardens and viewpoint.
A brilliant, weatherproof culture day in a compact area.
The verdict
Worth it — and underrated. The combination of a world-class, audible collection, a gorgeous Art Nouveau building, and a rooftop panorama makes the MIM one of the most enjoyable museums in Brussels, and a perfect rainy-day pick. Don’t skip the rooftop. Combine it with the neighbouring Mont des Arts museums for a rich half-day of culture.
Frequently asked questions — Musical Instruments Museum (MIM): Art Nouveau and music
What is special about the MIM in Brussels?
Two things: the building (a black iron-and-glass Art Nouveau former department store, the 'Old England') and the audio system — infrared headphones automatically play recordings of the instruments as you stand before them. Plus a rooftop café/terrace with a panoramic view over Brussels.Where is the Musical Instruments Museum in Brussels?
On the Mont des Arts in the upper town (Rue Montagne de la Cour), near the Magritte Museum and Royal Museums of Fine Arts — a short walk uphill from the Grand-Place. It's easy to combine with the other Mont des Arts museums.
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