To spot the Museum of Ixelles, look for a pale, cubic building with large glass doors and a bold sign above the entrance, just past a striking circular metal sculpture out front.
Welcome to the Museum of Ixelles, where every brick has soaked up over a century’s worth of creative whispers and bold imaginations! Can you hear your footsteps echo on the stone plaza? Way back in 1892, the place opened its doors thanks to a generous painter and collector, Edmond De Pratere, whose friends soon joined in-imagine an art lovers’ secret club, each bringing treasures to share. By the early 1900s, legendary art patrons like Léon Gauchez and Fritz Toussaint had filled these walls with Belgian masterpieces. But it was Octave Maus who went wild: at one point he donated over 200 pieces, including glowing Impressionist and mysterious Symbolist works! Inside, along with Belgian greats, you’ll even find every original poster by the famous Toulouse-Lautrec, whose can-can girls could probably dance off the paper if no one was watching. The museum’s been closed for a big renovation since 2018, with fresh space for new surprises-if you listen closely, you might almost catch the clang of renovation from within, promising a new chapter. Don’t worry, the doors will reopen soon in 2025, ready to amaze a whole new generation!
