The Brussels Times Magazine selects the best current and upcoming events and exhibitions this summer.
ART SHOWS
Across Brussels
September 10-13, 2026
A week to celebrate Brussels’ flourishing contemporary art scene, linking more than 60 galleries, museums, foundations and artist-run spaces in a citywide programme of exhibitions, talks and events that showcases the Belgian capital’s creative energy and international outlook.
MoMu, Nationalestraat 28, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
Until January 17, 2027
Marking 40 years since their breakthrough, MoMu’s The Antwerp Six traces the rise of six radical designers who reshaped global fashion. Through garments, archives and personal material, it explores their shared origins and fiercely individual careers.
COLLECTION MEETS SPANISH ARTISTS
Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Rue de la Régence 3, 1000 Brussels
Until August 16, 2026
An exploration of post-war Spanish abstraction, the museum pairs works by Millares, Mompó, Rivera and Tàpies with pieces from its own collection. Spanning the 1950s–70s, the show captures a raw, experimental avant-garde shaped by a search for freedom after the Civil War.
A RED THAT SINGS: MASTERPIECES BY ENSOR, WOUTERS AND SCHMALZIGAUG
KMSKA, Leopold de Waelplaats 1, 2000 Antwerp
Until August 30, 2026
A Red That Sings at KMSKA explores the bold colour experiments of Ensor, Wouters and Schmalzigaug. Through vivid reds, blues and yellows, the exhibition traces how these artists broke with Impressionism to create a new, expressive visual language—inviting visitors to experience modern art through the rhythm and intensity of colour.
FOMU, Waalsekaai 47, 2000 Antwerp
Until August 23, 2026
Entitled, The Heart of the Matter, this is the first Belgian retrospective of Carrie Mae Weems, with over 100 photographs and videos exploring race, gender and memory. Blending personal narrative with historical critique, her work uncovers overlooked stories—offering a powerful, intimate reflection on identity, injustice and representation.
Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Museumlaan 14, 9831 Deurle
Roger Raveel Museum, Gildestraat 2/8, 9870 Zulte
Museum van Deinze en de Leiestreek, Lucien Matthyslaan 3/5, 9800 Deinze
Until October 18, 2026
Three museums along the Lys (Leie) river join forces for the 10th Biennale of Painting, exploring how it can extend beyond canvas and convention. Through contemporary installations, historic works and cross-museum dialogues, this anniversary edition examines the medium’s evolving boundaries, connecting local artistic traditions with global perspectives.
Abby, Begijnhofpark, 8500 Kortrijk
Until September 13, 2026
Credit: Tom Callemin
Belgian photographer and media artist Tom Callemin’s exhibition concludes six years of work snapping meticulously staged images, challenging how we read photographs and what we accept as truth.
BPS22 Musée d’art de la Province de Hainaut, 22 Boulevard Solvay
6000 Charleroi
Until August 30, 2026
Charleroi’s BPS22 launches a new annual collections exhibition with Chrysalis, exploring transformation, uncertainty and renewal through artworks that capture moments of change, fragility and reinvention.
KMSKA, Leopold de Waelplaats 1, 2000 Antwerpen
Until September 20, 2026
British sculptor Antony Gormley takes over the KMSKA with Geestgrond, an ambitious exhibition placing more than 100 works in dialogue with the museum’s collection and architecture. Extending into public space, it explores the relationship between body, consciousness and environment through sculpture, installation and immersive experience.
Van Buuren Museum & Gardens, Avenue Léo Errera,
41, 1180 Brussels
Until September 27, 2026
The Van Buuren Museum pairs Gustave van de Woestyne and Anto Carte in a contemplative exhibition exploring spirituality, nature and the “inner garden” as refuge and inspiration.
Horta Museum, 27 rue Américaine, 1060 Saint-Gilles
June 25, 2026 to January 11, 2027
Can a chair tell the story of a century? The Horta Museum’s Art Nouveau versus Art Deco? uses 31 landmark seats by designers from Victor Horta to Le Corbusier to explore changing ideas of beauty, technology and living, while inviting today’s students to join the conversation.
NICOLA L. WHEN THE EARTH TURNED THE OTHER WAY
M HKA Leuvenstraat 32, 2000 Antwerpen
June 26 to October 18, 2026
M HKA presents Belgium’s first major Nicola L. retrospective, surveying five decades of boundary-crossing art that explored feminism, participation, embodiment and collective experience.
10 YEARS LA BOVERIE. BEHIND THE SCENES OF A COLLECTION
La Boverie, Parc de la Boverie 3, 4020 Liège
Until August 23, 2026
Celebrating 10 years since its reopening, La Boverie unveils 300 works in a revealing exhibition exploring its collections, conservation, research and the hidden craft of museum-making.
MONSTER CHETWYND: A FRIENDS MAKING MACHINE
Middelheim Museum, Middelheimlaan 61, 2020 Antwerp
Until October 10, 2026
Monster Chetwynd transforms the Middelheim Museum into a playful world of sculptures, performances and stories, exploring connection, resilience and the healing possibilities of art and nature.
Boghossian Foundation – Villa Empain, Avenue Franklin Roosevelt, 67, 1050 Ixelles
Until October 4, 2026
Jean-Michel Othoniel’s first major Brussels exhibition combines sculptures, installations and intimate watercolours, tracing three decades of travel, encounters and artistic wonder. Also at the Villa: Shape of Absence, an exhibition on heritage tragedy unfolding in Syria since 2011.
GERMAINE RIMBOUT: POETRY . COLOR . MOVEMENT
Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Rue de la Régence, 1000 Brussels
Until October 18, 2026
A new exhibition rescues Belgian artist Germaine Rimbout from undeserved obscurity, tracing her journey from Cubist and Fauvist influences to vibrant abstraction. It also celebrates a determined woman who forged an independent artistic path in a male-dominated art world.
HISTORY, SCIENCE & INTERACTIVE
Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080 Tervuren
Until September 27, 2026
A section of the Congo Panorama by Alfred Bastien
Centred on the monumental painting created for the 1913 Ghent World Fair, this exhibition dissects how the image glorified Belgian colonial ambitions in the Congo – masking exploitation and resistance – juxtaposing original footage, archival materials and contemporary reflections.
Shed 4B, Tour & Taxis, Avenue du Port 86C, 1000 Brussels
Until July 19, 2026
An immersive tech exhibition where visitors experience Pompeii’s last tragic moments, as its publicity promises, “a breathtaking show that will leave you speechless.”
House of European History, Rue Belliard 135, 1000 Brussels
Until March 14, 2027
An examination of Europe’s colonial legacy from its origins to the present, through artworks, objects and personal stories, exploring how power endured beyond empire and continues to shape societies today.
Liège-Guillemins railway station, Liège
Until July 5, 2026
Cleopatra was the original queen of drama, power and eyeliner. As both shrewd political strategist and timeless icon, she made Caesar swoon and Antony lose his marbles – and would later be endlessly reinterpreted by popular culture. In other words, she pioneered early celebrity influencer culture.
BELGIAN RAILWAYS UNDER OCCUPATION: BETWEEN COLLABORATION AND RESISTANCE
Train World, Prinses Elisabethplein 5, 1030 Schaarbeek
Until June 28, 2026
Picture of the new exhibition of Train World museum on the Nazi occupation. Credit: Belga
Trace how Belgium’s railways and railway workers navigated the dark years of Nazi occupation: photographs, artefacts and personal testimonies reveal stories of moral conflict, courage and survival.
Autoworld, Parc du Cinquantenaire 11, 1000 Brussels
July 8 to September 6, 2026
Step back into the decade of grunge, gaming and the early internet at Autoworld’s Icons of the 90’s. From hot hatches and Japanese sports cars to superbikes and teenage-status mopeds, this nostalgic summer exhibition celebrates the design, technology and pop culture of a defining era.
La Fonderie, Rue Ransfort 27, 1080 Brussels
Until June 28, 2026
Blending fiction and reality, La Fonderie throws visitors into the many challenges faced by migrants as they seek housing and recognised status in Belgium – or, in this case, Beldavia, an imaginary and surreal country where the language, culture, rules and laws are incomprehensible.
Royal Museum of Natural Sciences, Rue Vautier 29, 1000 Brussels
Until August 9, 2026
How do we defy gravity to hover in the clouds? From hummingbird to drone, peregrine falcon to the Concorde, this exhibition unravels the mystery of flight, exploring where nature meets technology.
RESTORATION OF THE GHENT ALTARPIECE
Museum of Fine Arts Ghent (MSK), Fernand Scribedreef 1
9000 Ghent
Until December 31, 2026
During the second phase of the restoration, of the five lower panels of the opened altarpiece, including the central panel which features 'The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb'. Credit: Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent
The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb – the Ghent Altarpiece – was completed in 1432 by the Van Eyck brothers and is arguably the most important painting in the world. Seven panels are being restored in the MSK, and visitors can see the restorers of the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK) live at work, in the studio behind glass. The rest of the MSK is also worth checking out, of course.
DIVA, Suikerrui 17-19, 2000 Antwerp
Until November 8, 2026
Rings That Rock explores seven centuries of diamond rings, from royal symbols of power to intimate tokens of love. Blending historic masterpieces with contemporary design, the exhibition reveals how these small objects reflect shifting ideas of status, identity, emotion and craftsmanship.
DESIGNING CHILDHOOD. A HISTORY OF DESIGN FOR CHILDREN
Design Museum, Place de Belgique 1, 1020 Laeken
Until September 20, 2026
Designing Childhood, co-produced with the Centre Pompidou, traces a century of design for children. From early modernist furniture to playful plastic forms and contemporary eco-design, it explores how changing ideas about childhood shaped objects.
JAPONISME AND ART NOUVEAU: VAL SAINT-LAMBERT AT THE HEIGHT OF MODERNITY
Grand Curtius Museum, Féronstrée 136, 4000 Liège
Until September 27, 2026
Celebrating Val Saint-Lambert’s bicentenary, the Grand Curtius explores the crystal works’ Belle Époque golden age, revealing how Japonisme and Art Nouveau transformed Belgian decorative arts.
Fashion & Lace Museum, Rue de la Violette 12, 1000 Brussels
Until January 10, 2027
Fashion’s quieter side takes centre stage in Simplicities, a thought-provoking exhibition tracing two centuries of elegance, practicality and naturalness, from Enlightenment-era dresses to contemporary designs by Dries van Noten, Issey Miyake and Ann Demeulemeester.
TUTANKHAMUN: THE IMMERSIVE EXHIBITION
Terminal 1, Brussels Expo, Ave Impératrice Charlotte, 1020 Brussels
Until October 11, 2026
Ancient Egypt comes to life at Brussels Expo in this immersive journey through Tutankhamun’s world. Combining vast projections, virtual reality, artefacts and interactive displays, it brings archaeology, myth and discovery vividly within reach.
DIVE, Carnotstraat 90, 2060 Antwerp
Until August 31, 2026
A second King Tut show, this time in Antwerp, sells itself as an immersive journey combining faithful reconstructions, 360-degree projections and cutting-edge VR. Visitors follow the young pharaoh’s story from discovery to afterlife in a spectacular, technology-driven exploration of history.
Terminal 1, Brussels Expo, Ave Impératrice Charlotte, 1020, Brussels
Until August 31, 2026
Step through 25 challenge rooms at Time Mission, a new immersive attraction at Brussels Expo, where teams solve puzzles, tackle physical tests and race through time.
GALLERIES
Zedes Art Gallery, Rue Paul Lauters 36, 1050 Brussels
Until June 27, 2026
Marking 160 years of Belgium-Japan relations, this exhibition celebrates Brussels-born artist Patrick Gerola, whose work blends Japanese and European traditions through luminous, innovative painting.
MAURICE TILLIEUX. RETROSPECTIVE
Huberty & Breyne Gallery, 33 place du Châtelain, 1050 Brussels
Until July 18, 2026
An exhibition celebrating Belgian comics master Maurice Tillieux, bringing together around 100 original artworks from family and private collections. Best known for Gil Jourdan, Tillieux combined mystery, humour and superb visual storytelling, leaving an enduring mark on Franco-Belgian comics.
Lee-Bauwens Gallery, 36 Rue du Charme, 1190 Brussels
Until July 5, 2026
Peaux Fragiles brings together international artists exploring paper as memory, trace and transformation. Through drawing, collage and installation, the exhibition celebrates fragility as strength.
Maruani Mercier, Avenue Louise 430, 1050 Brussels
Until August 15, 2026
A group exhibition of artists offering what the gallery says is “a thought-provoking survey exploring how abstraction continues to evolve through form, material, language and social meaning.”
RONAN DAY-LEWIS - RECENT HISTORY
Nino Mier Gallery, Rue Ernest Allard 25, 1000 Brussels,
Until July 18, 2026
For his first European solo show, Ronan Day-Lewis (son of actor icon Daniel, who he directed in last year’s Anemone) combines painting, installation and video to rework forgotten internet photographs into haunting scenes of youth, memory and contemporary American life.
LITA ALBUQUERQUE - PIGMENTS AND PRESENCE'
Galerie La Patinoire Royale Bach, Rue Veydt 15, 1060 Saint-Gilles
Until July 31, 2026
American Land Art pioneer Lita Albuquerque brings pigment, gold and light together in drawings and paintings.
MUSIC FESTIVALS
Across Wallonia
June 25 to October 22, 2026
The Festivals de Wallonie embarks on a musical journey across regions, centuries and cultures, bringing classical music to audiences throughout Brussels and Wallonia in over 100 concerts in unexpected settings.
Flagey Studio, Place Sainte-Croix, 1050 Ixelles/Théâtre Marni, Rue de Vergnies 25, 1050 Ixelles
June 25-28, 2026
Associated with Festivals de Wallonie, Musiq3 Festival in Brussels offers an original program combining classical, jazz, electro and pop, bringing together music lovers and curious people around two emblematic places: Flagey and the Théâtre Marni.
Cercle Gaulois, Notre-Dame des Sablons and Bozar, Brussels
July 1 to August 31, 2026
Brussels’ beloved lunchtime music festival returns with daily concerts in three historic venues (Cercle Gaulois, Notre-Dame des Sablons and Bozar) showcasing Belgian talent, rising stars and international performers in affordable moments of summer tranquillity.
Heysel, Brussels
June 26-28, 2026
Over 80 artists spanning many genres will gather in Heysel under the banner of world music for the 2026 edition of Couleur Café. Dub FX, Skepta, Freddie Gibbs and Ezra Collective are some of the acts that will take the stage with the Atomium as the backdrop.
Festivalpark, Haachtsesteenweg, Werchter
July 2-5, 2026
First day of the Rock Werchter music festival in Werchter, Thursday 04 July 2024. Credit: Belga / Virginie Lefour
This annual rock music festival has been taking place near Leuven since 1976, drawing over 100,000 attendees over four days. This year’s headliners include Mumford & Sons, Gorillaz, The Cure, Lewis Capaldi, Moby and Elvis Costello (who also performs at Ancienne Belgique on June 29).
Across Ghent
July 2-18, 2026
Gent Jazz might sound like a niche festival, but for over a fortnight, it attracts some top-notch names, even if it stretches the strict definition of jazz itself. This year features Van Morrison, Suzanne Vega, Angus & Julia Stone, Tamino, John Legend, Axelle Red, Admiral Freebee, Asaf Avidan, and more.
Parc Astrid, Rocourt, Liège
July 2-5, 2026
Four-day electro-rock festival Les Ardentes, outside Liège, is celebrating 20 years. It is growing fast each year, and the 2026 edition includes Playboi Carti, Black Eyed Peas, Future, Damso and Charlotte de Witte.
Osseghem Park Theatre (Green Theatre), Avenue de l'Atomium, 1020 Brussels
July 3-5, 2026
Credit: Brosella
This urban jazz festival returns to the Green Theatre beside the Atomium with three days of adventurous jazz and global sounds. Featuring Dhafer Youssef, Nneka and Cheikh Lô, the festival mixes international stars, emerging talent and family-friendly performances in a welcoming, pay-what-you-can setting.
Château du Karreveld, Ave Jean de la Hoese 32, 1080 Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
July 9 to September 27, 2026
For 28 summers, the Bruxellons! Festival has transformed the leafy grounds of Château du Karreveld into one of Brussels’ most vibrant open-air stages. This year’s programme ranges from the exuberant musical Kinky Boots to the intimate John & Jen.
Parc d’Enghien, Avenue Elisabeth 7850 Enghien
July 10-11, 2026
Illustration picture at the Festival LaSemo in Enghien in 2019. Credit: Belga
Nile Rodgers, Vanessa Paradis, 2ManyDJs, Puggy, Alice on the Roof, Julien Doré and, er, Chantal Goya all feature in this three-day festival in the gorgeous Parc d’Enghien.
Recreatiedomein De Schorre, Boom
July 17-19 and July 24-26, 2026
Held in Boom, near Antwerp, since 2005, Tomorrowland is one of the most celebrated musical festivals in the world. The list of artists is massive and features some promising and lesser-known names: the line-up for this year includes Chainsmokers, Disco Lines, Martin Garrix, Marlon Hoffstadt and Sebastian Ingrosso.
Théâtre royal du Parc, Rue de la Loi 3, 1000 Brussels
August 5-11, 2026
Classissimo marks its 20th anniversary with seven evenings of accessible classical music, from Mozart to tango, celebrating discovery, young talent and musical sharing.
Ronquières, Route Baccara, 7090 Braine-le-Comte
August 7-9, 2026
Ronquières might otherwise be known for its inclined boat lift, but it also boasts a music festival that this year gathers Macklemore, Suede, Roméo Elvis, Hooverphonic, Oscar and The Wolf, Pommelien Thijs and Felix Da Housecat.
Place des Palais, Brussels
August 15-16, 2026
Jean-Michel Jarre at the Place des Palais square in Brussels on Tuesday, 01 July 2025, on the second day of the first edition of the Brussels Palace Open Air event. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Materlinck
Not so much a festival, but seasoned artists performing in front of the palace: Boris Brejcha b2b Eric Prydz will be on August 15, followed by Black Coffee the next day.
Kempische Steenweg, Kiewit-Hasselt
August 22-23, 2026
Pukkelpop is one of Belgium’s biggest musical festivals, held amid the forests just outside of Hasselt, attracting upwards of 200,000 fans of all sorts of music, from dance and pop to metal and rap. The 2026 lineup includes Tyler, the Creator, Florence + The Machine, Yungblud and Turnstile.
CONCERTS
GUNS N’ ROSES AFAS Dome, Antwerp, June 30, 2026
ROBYN ING Arena, Brussels, June 30, 2026
ALI WONG Stadsschouwburg, Antwerp, July 1, 2026
JEFF GOLDBLUM & THE MILDRED SNITZER ORCHESTRA Koningin Elisabethzaal, Antwerp, July 7, 2026
BAD BUNNY King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, July 22, 2026
DAVID GUETTA Zeebrugge Beach, Bruges, August 8, 2026
A$AP ROCKY ING Arena, Brussels, August 25, 2026
EMMYLOU HARRIS Stadsschouwburg, Antwerp, September 4, 2026
THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS Forest National, Brussels, September 18, 2026
OTHER EVENTS
BRUSSELS RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL AND OMMEGANG
Central Brussels
Until July 4, 2026
Credit: Ommegang / Ville de Bruxelles
Step back into the splendour of 16th-century Brussels at the Brussels Renaissance Festival, a citywide programme of events, tours and performances. Celebrating the era of Charles V, it brings history vividly to life, culminating in the spectacular Ommegang procession on the Grand Place.
Start and finish Place Poelaert, Brussels
Until September 12, 2026
Roll, ride or skate through Brussels and beyond at the free Roller Bike Parade every Friday night. Part sporting event, part street party, it transforms city streets into a lively summer celebration of movement, music and community. Similar events take place during the week in Leuven and Hasselt.
Port of Antwerp
July 11-14, 2026
The Tall Ships in the city in 2016. Credit: Jonathan Ramael
Held every four years, and this July is when it sails around again: magnificent tall ships return to Antwerp as the Tall Ships Races transform the waterfront into a maritime spectacle, celebrating adventure, international friendship and sail-training opportunities for young people from around the world.
BELGIAN GRAND PRIX, SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS
Spa-Francorchamps circuit
July 17-19, 2026
The Belgian Grand Prix’s Spa-Francorchamps circuit is often hailed as the most beautiful in Formula 1, where drivers tackle one of motorsport’s most demanding and dramatic circuits amid the forests of the Ardennes. As seen in Brad Pitt’s F1 movie last year.
Along the Boulevard du Midi
July 18 to August 23, 2026
Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
The Foire du Midi returns for its 145th edition, bringing thrills, treats and nostalgia to Brussels. From giant rides to croustillons, this beloved summer fair remains a cherished meeting place for generations.
Around Muntstraat, Oude Markt and Grote Markt, Leuven
August 2, 2026
Leuven’s beloved Hapje-Tapje festival transforms the city centre into a giant open-air feast, with food stalls, local specialities, music and summer conviviality.
Bois de la Cambre, 1050 Brussels
August 13-16, 2026
Credit: Théâtres Nomades
The Bois de la Cambre becomes an open-air stage for Théâtres Nomades, a free festival blending circus, theatre, music and performance with creativity, diversity and community spirit.
Place De Brouckère/Place de la Bourse/Grand Place, Brussels
August 14-23, 2026
For ten days, Brussels becomes one giant dancefloor as the Brussels Dance Festival fills the city centre with free performances, workshops, battles and open-air celebrations of movement in all its forms.
Les Brigittines, Petite rue des Brigittines, 1000 Brussels
August 14-29, 2026
Credit: Brigittines
A programme of “contemporary performances: innovative languages, bizarre universes, strange and original forms that speak to the imagination,” according to the organisers of their various music and dance shows.
Grand Place, 1000 Brussels
September 2-6, 2026
Belgium excels in beer, and this festival is a celebration of the country’s creations, with a chance to sample the lesser-known krieks, gueuzes, witbiers, bruins, saisons, dubbels, tripels and others.
Various locations
September 13-14 and 19-20, 2026
The Maison Jamaer, located on 62 Stalingrad Avenue in Brussels city centre, was open for the Heritage Days in 2018. Credit: Belga/ Filip de Smet
A European initiative, enthusiastically embraced by Belgium, where the regions open the doors of key buildings over a weekend. For the Brussels region, it is September 19-20; in Flanders, it is September 13; while in Wallonia, it is September 13-14.
Across Belgium
September 16 to 22, 2026
European Mobility Week takes place from September 16 to 22, and the theme for this year’s campaign is "Mobility for Everyone”, featuring numerous local community initiatives, sustainable transit promotions. It culminates with on Car-Free Sunday on September 20, 2026, when the entire Brussels-Capital Region transforms into Europe’s largest car-free zone.
