BELvue museum:Press

Press release - 22/06/2026

To mark ten years of its permanent exhibition, BELvue – the museum of Belgium and its history, as well as a centre for democracy managed by the King Baudouin Foundation – is embarking on a major transformation. By 2028, the museum will unveil a brand-new permanent display, an ambitious programme of temporary exhibitions, and a sustainable renovation of its historic building. To help shape this vision, BELvue is inviting the wider public to take part in an online survey, open until the end of September.

Opened in 2016, BELvue’s permanent exhibition offers a distinctive perspective on Belgium’s history, grounded in dialogue, a diversity of viewpoints and the questions that shape how we live together. Ten years on, having welcomed several hundred thousand visitors, school groups and socio-cultural organisations, BELvue is ready to take the next step.

More than a museum, BELvue has also developed into an educational hub and a space for debate and reflection. Over time, it has established itself as a place for dialogue on history, citizenship and democracy, welcoming a broad and diverse audience – from schools and newcomers to families and civil society organisations.

At the heart of the King Baudouin Foundation’s Democracy programme, BELvue works every day to promote understanding of democratic values and institutions, strengthen critical thinking, and foster dialogue and mutual understanding in an increasingly diverse and polarised society.

Today, the museum is opening a new chapter in its story. It is undergoing a transformation that touches not only its content and spaces, but also the way it engages with its audiences.

A renewed permanent exhibition

The future permanent exhibition will be entirely reimagined. Located on the first floor, it will offer a fresh perspective on Belgium’s history, linking it to the major issues shaping contemporary society. Rather than a linear narrative, it will invite visitors to explore the debates, tensions and choices that define Belgium today, illuminated by episodes from the past.

The project has been entrusted to the designers of Exponanza and the collective of historians Het Geheugen Collectief, who will work together to create a visitor journey that is both rigorous and accessible, and open to a wide range of perspectives.

Annual exhibitions

This ambition to explore Belgium from multiple angles will also be reflected in a programme of annual exhibitions on the museum’s second floor. These will address historical and societal themes that resonate with current events.

In 2028, two years before Belgium’s bicentenary, a first exhibition will take visitors back to the country’s roots, exploring the years leading up to the creation of the Belgian state. The design of the first three exhibitions has been entrusted to the Brussels-based agency TAVU, which, in collaboration with the curators, will bring its creative approach to this new programme.

A sustainability-driven renovation

BELvue’s transformation will also extend to its building. It will undergo a significant energy renovation, coordinated by Trio Architecture. Supported by Renolab, the project aims to preserve the neoclassical building – a witness to Belgian and European history – while preparing it for the environmental challenges of tomorrow.

In addition, the building’s historic entrance on Place Royale will be reopened. This renewed connection between the now pedestrianised square and Brussels Park will strengthen BELvue’s openness to the city and reinforce its role as an accessible and welcoming place at the heart of Brussels life.

A public survey

To help shape the museum of 2028, BELvue is inviting the public – both visitors and those who have not yet discovered the museum – to take part in a survey, available in seven languages until the end of September.

The aim is to gather opinions on the current museum, as well as expectations and ideas about what an ideal museum should be. The results will feed into the design of BELvue’s future programmes and activities.

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“BELvue has always been a place where history helps us better understand the present. Ten years after the opening of the current permanent exhibition, we want to go even further and turn the museum into a living space where everyone can reflect, engage in dialogue and find their place in the major debates shaping our society,” says Brieuc Van Damme, CEO of the King Baudouin Foundation.

As the King Baudouin Foundation celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year, this new phase in BELvue’s development reaffirms the Foundation’s commitment to investing in places that strengthen connections between citizens and contribute to a vibrant, open and inclusive democracy.

More information on the transformation

Go to the survey page

Press contact

Mathilde Oechsner
[email protected]
+32 (0)2 545 08 02