The world’s largest collection of René Magritte’s work occupies a five-storey neoclassical building on Place Royale in Brussels, Belgium. Over 200 paintings, drawings, sculptures, and films trace the Belgian surrealist’s career from his early commercial work to the bowler-hatted men and impossible skies that made him famous.
Quick overview
Standard admission costs €10 (€8 for seniors and groups, €3 for students). A combined ticket covering both the Magritte Museum and Old Masters Museum costs €15. The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday with differing weekday and weekend hours.
Following October 2023 renovations, visitors with online tickets enter through the Magritte Museum entrance at Place Royale 2. Those without advance tickets must queue at the main ticketing desk at Rue de la Régence 3, then walk to the museum entrance.
At a glance
| Price | Opening hours | Address | Free for | Last entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €10 (€3 students) | Tue–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat–Sun 11am–6pm | Place Royale 2, 1000 Brussels | Under-19s, first Wed of month 1pm+ | 30 minutes before closing |
How much does the Magritte Museum cost?
Admission to the Magritte Museum permanent collection costs €10 for adults. Combined tickets offering entry to both the Magritte Museum and Old Masters Museum (housing Flemish and Dutch paintings from the 15th–18th centuries) cost €15.
Admission prices
| Ticket type | Price | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | €10.00 | Ages 19+ |
| Senior & Group | €8.00 | Over-65s, groups of 15+ people |
| Student | €3.00 | Under-26s with valid student ID |
| Child & Youth | Free | Anyone under 19 (not in school group) |
| Combi ticket (Magritte + Old Masters) | €15.00 | Adults visiting both museums |
| Combi ticket (Magritte + Old Masters) | €10.00 | Seniors/groups visiting both |
| Combi ticket (Magritte + Old Masters) | €5.00 | Students visiting both |
Additional concessions apply to people with disabilities, their caregivers, jobseekers registered with Belgian employment agencies, teachers with valid documentation, ICOM members, Brussels Card holders, and Friends of the Royal Museums.
Audio guides cost €4 and are available in multiple formats: adult guides in French, Dutch, English, German, Spanish, Italian, and Korean; new children’s and teenagers’ guides in French, Dutch, English, German, and Italian; visio guides for deaf/hard of hearing visitors; and audio guides for visually impaired visitors.
Tickets can be bought via the museum website.
Five great things to do while in Brussels
- 🍺 Indulge in Brussels’ finest treats on a top-rated beer and chocolate tour.
- 🕊️ Take a Flanders battlefields day tour, including the Last Post ceremony at Ypres.
- 🍫 Learn how to make chocolate pralines in an expert-run workshop.
- 🚲 Go on a bike tour, and cram in more of the city’s highlights.
- 🌙 Discover Brussels’ nightlife on a pub crawl.
What time does the Magritte Museum open?
Tuesday to Friday: 10am–5pm
Saturday and Sunday: 11am–6pm
Monday: Closed
Ticket offices close 30 minutes before the museum (4:30pm weekdays, 5:30pm weekends). On 24 and 31 December, the museum closes early at 3pm. On 8 January, it opens late at 11am.
Annual closures: 1 January, 1 May, 18 June, 1 and 11 November, 25 December.
First Wednesday of the month: Free admission from 1pm onwards, though this doesn’t apply to temporary exhibitions. Expect significant crowds during free afternoons — arrive early or visit another day if you prefer quieter conditions.
Why book the Brussels Card for your visit?
- Free entry to dozens of museums and attractions: Gain access to 48–49 top museums and cultural sites across Brussels for 24, 48 or 72 hours.
- Skip-the-line at the Atomium (if selected): You can add an option to visit this iconic landmark without waiting — a major time saver.
- Unlimited public transport (optional): With the transport addon, enjoy unlimited use of metro, tram and buses across Brussels during your pass validity.
- Discounts on tours, shops, food & more: Benefit from reduced prices at partner restaurants, bars, shops, entertainment venues and guided tours.
- Convenient digital format: Receive a mobile voucher or printable ticket, plus a free city & museum map — no need for physical tickets or vouchers.
Do I need to book Magritte Museum tickets in advance?
Online booking is recommended. Since the October 2023 renovations, the museum operates a two-entrance system that benefits advance bookers. Visitors with online tickets enter directly through the Magritte Museum entrance at Place Royale 2, avoiding the main ticketing queue.
Those without online tickets must visit the ticketing desk at the main entrance (Rue de la Régence 3), purchase admission, then walk to the museum entrance at Place Royale 2. During busy periods — weekends, Belgian school holidays, first Wednesday afternoons — this adds 20–30 minutes to your visit.
Under-19s receive free admission but still require a ticket. Book the €0 ticket online or collect it from the desk by showing ID.
Parking advice
Central Brussels discourages driving. On-street parking near Place Royale is expensive (€4–€5 per hour), heavily time-restricted, and almost impossible to find during weekdays. The few public car parks charge €3–€4 per hour with daily maximums around €30.
Nearest car parks:
- Interparking Albertine (Boulevard de l’Empereur 4) — 400m from the museum
- Interparking Grand Place (Rue de la Colline 6) — 800m walk
- Q-Park Justice (Rue de la Régence 63) — 500m walk
All three fill quickly on weekends and during major events. Early arrival (before 9am) improves your chances of finding a space.
Better alternatives: Brussels’ public transport is extensive and reliable. The museum sits 5 minutes’ walk from three metro stations: Parc (lines 1 and 5), Trône (lines 2 and 6), and Gare Centrale/Centraal Station (lines 1 and 5). Trams 92 and 94 stop at Royale, directly outside the museum.
Park-and-ride facilities on the metro’s outer reaches (such as Erasme, Delta, or Stockel) allow free parking when you purchase a day ticket (€8.40 for unlimited travel).
History
René Magritte spent most of his life in Brussels, working from a modest terraced house that’s now the separate René Magritte Museum in Jette (not to be confused with the Magritte Museum on Place Royale). When he died in 1967, his wife Georgette retained ownership of his works. Following her death in 1986, various private collectors and institutions held pieces of Magritte’s oeuvre scattered across Belgium and beyond.
In the 1990s, the Belgian government began acquiring Magritte works with the intention of creating a dedicated museum. This coincided with renewed international interest in surrealism and Belgian art. The collection grew through purchases and donations, eventually totalling over 200 works spanning Magritte’s entire career.
The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium houses multiple institutions under one administrative umbrella: the Old Masters Museum, Modern Museum (currently closed for renovation until late 2026), Fin-de-Siècle Museum, and the Magritte Museum. This complex occupies a series of interconnected buildings around Place Royale.
The Magritte Museum opened on 2 June 2009 in the renovated Hotel Altenloh, an 18th-century neoclassical building at Place Royale 2. The five-storey space was specifically redesigned to house Magritte’s works, with galleries arranged chronologically from his early commercial illustrations through his mature surrealist period.
In October 2023, this underrated European art museum underwent significant renovations to improve visitor flow and presentation. The new layout separates the entrance (Place Royale 2 for ticket holders) from the main ticketing desk (Rue de la Régence 3), which caused some initial confusion but ultimately improved crowd management.
What to see at the Magritte Museum
The permanent collection spans five floors arranged chronologically. Begin at the top and work downward through Magritte’s career: early works and commercial illustrations (1920s), surrealist period (1930s–1940s), Renoir period and sunlit surrealism (1940s), mature works (1950s–1960s), and films and photographs.
“The Empire of Light” series appears across several floors. Magritte painted multiple versions of this paradoxical scene: a house under a night-time streetlamp beneath a bright daytime sky. The museum holds several variations, allowing you to see how Magritte refined the composition.
“The Return” (1940) shows a bird transforming into clouds mid-flight, demonstrating Magritte’s interest in visual wordplay and the fluidity between object and representation. His technique made the impossible seem mundane through meticulous realist painting.
The bowler-hatted men — Magritte’s most recognised motif — appear throughout the collection in various contexts. “The Son of Man” (1964) isn’t in the museum’s permanent collection (it’s privately owned), but similar works like “The Schoolmaster” demonstrate the recurring figure.
Commercial work from Magritte’s early career as an illustrator and poster designer occupies the upper floors. These pieces show how he applied surrealist thinking to advertising, creating striking images for companies and products whilst developing techniques he’d later use in fine art.
The film collection comprises 40 amateur silent films Magritte made between 1956 and 1960. Screening rooms on the lower floors show these rarely seen works, revealing his experimentation with moving images and narrative.
What’s included with your ticket?
- Permanent collection across five floors
- Access to film screening rooms
- Temporary exhibitions from museum holdings
- Free cloakroom (bags larger than 55 x 50 x 35cm may be refused)
- Free Wi-Fi throughout
- Entrance to Oldmasters Museum (if you bought combi ticket)
Not included: Audio guides (€4), food and drink (café located in adjacent Oldmasters Museum building), parking, special temporary exhibitions (occasionally require surcharge).
Things to do near the Magritte Museum
Musical Instruments Museum (MIM) (100m, 2-minute walk) — Over 8,000 instruments from around the world housed in an Art Nouveau building (the former Old England department store). Wireless headphones play recordings as you pass exhibits. The rooftop café offers panoramic Brussels views.
BELvue Museum (130m, 2-minute walk) — Belgian history from independence in 1830 to the present day, housed in the former Hotel Belle-Vue where Belgium’s second king lived. Interactive exhibits cover constitutional monarchy, colonialism, world wars, and contemporary politics. Also provides access to archaeological remains of the Coudenberg Palace beneath Place Royale.
Coudenberg Palace ruins (150m, 3-minute walk, access through BELvue Museum) — Archaeological remains of the 12th–18th century palace that burned down in 1731, excavated beneath Place Royale. Underground passages and room foundations show the medieval/Renaissance palace layout. The Great Hall (Aula Magna) was one of Europe’s largest medieval rooms.
Royal Palace of Brussels (250m, 4-minute walk across Brussels Park) — The official palace of the King and Queen of Belgium, used for state functions rather than residence. Free tours run mid-July to early September (10:30am–5pm), showcasing the Hall of Mirrors, Throne Room, and Goya Room. Outside this period, the building is closed. The changing of the guard doesn’t occur here — this isn’t a tourist spectacle like Buckingham Palace.
Grand Place (800m, 10-minute walk) — Brussels’ central square and UNESCO World Heritage Site, surrounded by ornate guildhalls and the Gothic Town Hall. Often cited as Europe’s most beautiful square, it hosts the Flower Carpet event (biennial, August) and Christmas markets (late November–early January). The square is always accessible and free. Nearby museums include the Brussels City Museum and Belgian Brewers Museum.
Attractions elsewhere in Brussels include the Atomium, Manneken Pis and the Autoworld Car Museum.
Practical tips
Location and access: The Magritte Museum sits at Place Royale 2 in Brussels’ Royal Quarter, on a square built in the 1770s after the old Coudenberg Palace burned down. The area concentrates Belgium’s cultural and political institutions within walking distance.
Getting there: Three metro stations serve the area within 5 minutes’ walk: Parc (lines 1 and 5), Trône (lines 2 and 6), and Gare Centrale (lines 1 and 5). Trams 92 and 94 stop directly at Royale. Brussels-Central railway station is 600m away (8-minute walk). From the airport, take the train to Central Station then walk or take the metro one stop.
Time needed: Allow 2–3 hours for a thorough visit. The five floors contain substantial material, and the chronological arrangement encourages methodical progression through Magritte’s career. Audio guide users should add 30–45 minutes. If you’re rushing, focus on floors -1 and -2 (mature works and films).
What to wear: The museum maintains stable temperatures around 18–20°C (64–68°F) for artwork preservation. Bring layers as galleries can feel cool. Comfortable shoes are essential — you’ll walk several kilometres on hard floors across five levels. No dress code exists, though large bags and backpacks must be checked in the cloakroom.
Photography: Permitted for personal, non-commercial use without flash or tripods. Some individual works may prohibit photography — respect the signage. The museum encourages sharing on social media using #MagritteMuseum. Commercial photography or publication requires written permission.
Accessibility: The museum has lifts accessing all floors, making it wheelchair accessible. However, the two-entrance system (Place Royale 2 for ticket holders, Rue de la Régence 3 for ticket purchases) means wheelchair users without online tickets face an awkward journey between buildings. Book online to enter directly at Place Royale 2, where accessible facilities are located.
Bags and security: Extra security checks operate at entrances and may cause delays. Staff can request bag searches before cloakroom acceptance. Suitcases larger than 55 x 50 x 35cm will be refused — if you’re visiting between hotels, use Brussels-Central station’s luggage lockers instead. The cloakroom staff may refuse items appearing to present security risks.
Food and facilities: The Magritte Museum itself has no café. The Oldmasters Museum building (adjacent, accessed via Rue de la Régence 3) has a café serving sandwiches, soups, and cakes. Free toilets are located throughout both buildings. The Magritte Museum shop sells books, postcards, posters, and Magritte-themed merchandise near the exit.
Combining visits: The combi ticket (€15) covering Magritte Museum and Oldmasters Museum offers good value if you’re interested in Flemish Masters (Bruegel, Rubens, Van Dyck). However, seeing both properly requires 4–5 hours total. The Modern Museum is closed for renovation until late 2026. The Fin-de-Siècle Museum (1880s–1914 art) requires a separate ticket but is rarely crowded.
Crowds: Weekends and Belgian school holidays are busiest, particularly Saturday afternoons. The first Wednesday of each month (free admission from 1pm) attracts large crowds — avoid this day unless you arrive at exactly 1pm. Tuesday and Thursday mornings (10–11:30am) are quietest.
FAQs
Is the Magritte Museum suitable for children? Children under 19 enter free, and the museum offers dedicated children’s and teenagers’ audio guides in multiple languages. However, the museum is a traditional art gallery rather than an interactive experience. Very young children may struggle with the quiet behaviour required and extensive walking across five floors. Older children (10+) interested in art typically enjoy Magritte’s surrealist puzzles and visual jokes.
Can you visit just the Magritte Museum or must you see the Old Masters too? The museums sell separate tickets (€10 for Magritte alone, €10 for Old Masters alone, or €15 for both). Since October 2023 renovations, the entrances are separated, so you’re not walking through one museum to reach the other. Choose based on your interests — the combi ticket only saves money if you’re genuinely visiting both.
What’s the difference between the Magritte Museum and the René Magritte Museum? The Magritte Museum (Place Royale 2) is the large institutional museum with 200+ works. The René Magritte Museum (Rue Esseghem 135, Jette) is the artist’s former home and studio, showing how he lived and worked. The house museum is smaller, more intimate, and requires a separate visit (€10 admission). Both are worth seeing if you’re a Magritte enthusiast.
Does the Brussels Card include Magritte Museum entry? Yes, the Brussels Card (€33 for 24 hours, €41 for 48 hours, €49 for 72 hours) includes free entry to the Magritte Museum permanent collection. However, it doesn’t cover major temporary exhibitions. If you’re visiting 3+ paid attractions, the card offers good value. It also includes unlimited public transport.
Why are there two entrances and do I need to queue twice? Since October 2023 renovations, visitors with online tickets enter directly at Place Royale 2 (the Magritte Museum entrance). Visitors without tickets must purchase them at Rue de la Régence 3 (the main Royal Museums ticketing desk), then walk to Place Royale 2 to enter. You only queue once, but without advance tickets you queue at the wrong building then must relocate. Book online to avoid this.
More Belgium travel
Other Belgium travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Travel guide to Brussels, Belgium.
- Following the Tintin trail in Brussels.
- How to find the best chocolates in Brussels.
- A Liege city guide for first-time visitors.
- Discovering the history of Belgian chocolate in Bruges.
