Museums in Brussels are planning evening openings every Thursday from today till 18 May. The Nocturnes mean visitors are welcome between the hours of 5PM and 10PM. In addition to viewing exhibitions and permanent collections visitors will be able to take part in special guided tours and artistic workshops as well as visit behind the scenes storage depots that are usually not accessible to the public at large.
Thirty-seven Brussels museums are participating. They are grouped per neighbourhood to allow visitors to see several venues in one and the same evening.
The Nocturne season starts with a reception on the banks of the Brussels Canal. It is followed by a guided cycling tour that concludes at the MIMA in Molenbeek where you can get a drink and attend a concert.
Highlights of the season include a workshop on “wild cooking” at the medicinal botanic garden “Paul Moens” on 20 April, a visit to the 1,300 bells at the Clockarium on 4 May and a reading of erotic poetry at the Museum of Erotics and Mythology on 20 April.
The season concludes on 18 May, International Museum Day. This year the event focuses on sustainability and well-being. To mark this the House of European History is staging a workshop on textile upscaling.
Several areas usually closed to the general public, including the Pavilion of Human Passions, will be open at the Jubel Park museums.
The Nocturnes are an attempt to lower the threshold of museum visits: a ticket costs 5 euros per museum and only 2.5 euros for Under-26s. Entrance to some museums including the Geopolis, the Centre for Photo Journalism and the Jean Massart Garden in Oudergem is free of charge.