Autoworld

In 1880 King Léopold II staged a grand international fair to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of his nation. The vast exhibition halls he erected, together with their successors, now contain a cluster of major museums. By far the most spectacular is the Musées Royaux d’Art et d’Histoire, a rich collection of treasures from around the world, including archaeological finds, anthropological artifacts and decorative arts. Close by are the Musée Royal de l’Armée et d’Histoire Militaire (an extensive military museum) and Autoworld (a major collection of historic cars). The park also contains the extraordinary Atelier de Moulage, and the Pavillon Horta, a Neo-Classical work designed by a young Victor Horta to house an erotic sculpture by Jef Lambeaux (1852–1908).

A symphony in Art Nouveau design (For further details see Musée Horta, Brussels).

This beautifully preserved Art Deco home has excellent furniture and stained glass, as well as contemporary paintings.

Another legacy of King Léopold, the Chinese Pavilion and Japanese Tower now house porcelain, samurai armour and Art Nouveau stained glass. Nearby is the Museum of Japanese Art.

The Atomium

This giant model of an iron crystal was built as Belgium’s exhibit at Brussels’ 1958 Universal Exposition.

The trams of modern Brussels are the last vestiges of a transport system that has formed an integral part of the city’s character. Visitors cannot fail to be won over by this extensive collection of over 60 trams, from the horse-drawn “hippomobiles” of the 1860s to sleek expressions of 1960s modernity, all housed in an old tram depot. You can also enjoy a 20-minute ride on a historic tram to (and from) Tervuren (and the Africa Museum) or the Parc Cinquantenaire.

EU politics may seem a dry, complex issue, but a trip to the European Parliament and its visitor centre will convince you otherwise. Free audio-guided tours of the Parliament are available, while the Parlamentarium explains the past, present and future of the EU in more detail. Visitors to the Parlamentarium are provided with a multimedia handset, which guides them around the interactive displays. Meet the MEPs who shape European laws, listen to the multitude of EU languages in the Tunnel of Voices, and find out why the Parliament decamps from Brussels to Strasbourg every year.

It’s well worth the trek to this southern suburb for this small but unusually choice municipal art collection. It has a number of minor works by great masters, including Rembrandt, Delacroix and Picasso, as well as an excellent collection of posters by Toulouse-Lautrec. This is also a good place to see more work by Symbolists such as Léon Spilliaert and Léon Frédéric, and the much-cherished sculpture and Fauve-style painting of Rik Wouters.

Constantin Meunier (1831–1905) was one of the great sculptors of the late 19th century, internationally famous for his instantly recognizable bronzes of working people – especially puddleurs (forge workers). The museum occupies his former home, and contains excellent examples of his work.

This is one of the most extraordinary museums in Brussels. Antoine Wiertz (1806–65) was an artist whose self-esteem far outstripped his talent. As a young man, he was egged on by patrons, and success went to his head. This grand studio was built so he could paint works on a scale to rival Michelangelo. The grandiose canvases are interesting in themselves, but so too are the smaller works, many so macabre and moralistic they inspire wonderment and mirth.