Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

The permanent Collection

450 years after his death, Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s masterpieces still speak to our imagination. The Renaissance master was an astute observer of his world and time; the rich, fascinating and tumultuous sixteenth century.

Bruegel's artistic career was short - he died around the age of 40. Today only about forty of his paintings have been preserved, making them extremely rare
and valuable. After Vienna, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium hold the second largest collection of paintings by Bruegel the Elder in the world.

At the Old Masters Museum, you can admire the original paintings of this iconic artist. They will introduce you to a whole cast of characters – sometimes peculiar, sometimes recognizable; but all masterpieces in their own right. In addition, you can discover about a dozen works by Bruegel’s sons and other followers, which allow you to further explore his brilliant artistic work.

Discover the Bruegel collection in gigapixel on the Google Arts & Culture platform here

Digital Experiences

Dive into the world of the painter and discover his genius talent through three digital experiences:

Bruegel box

The Bruegel Box brings you closer to Bruegel's work: 5 immersive videos – each dedicated to one painting – are projected on three walls, floor to ceiling. Come face to face with the characters from Proverbs (1559), The Sermon of Saint John the Baptist (1566) and The Fall of the Rebel Angels (1562) .

NEW: Discover two new videos about the Winter Landscape with a Bird Trap and Skaters (1565) and the Census at Bethlehem (1566), both on show at the Museum.

Virtual exhibitions

You can explore Bruegel's masterpieces, his life, influences and legacy through 12 virtual exhibitions offered on interactive screens throughout the Old Masters Museum. Each one brings together paintings, texts, archival documents, as well as audio and video clips, so you can gain in-depth knowledge about Pieter Bruegel the Elder and experience the real-life artworks in a new way. These exhibitions, as well as 7 additional ones, can also be accessed on the Google Arts & Culture website. 

Discover the virtual exhibitions in the Old Masters Museum or on the Google Arts & Culture platform

Cardboard experience

The Google Cardboard Viewer* provides a unique virtual reality experience focusing on The Fall of the Rebel Angels. With this 360° experience the painting
comes to life in front of your eyes!

Find the virtual reality experience here
The Google Cardboard Viewer can be purchased at the Museum Shop (€10) or lent during Bruegel tours organized by the Museum.

Destination Bruegel

Family Trail through the Old Masters Museum

Take the entire family on a quest through the Museum. Follow the route on your map* and pass by artworks and activities to reach the ultimate destination: Bruegel!

*Ask for your family trail at the Bruegel counter in the central hall (forum) of the Museum

Discover more

FOR individual visitors

Wander around the Old Masters Museum and discover the Bruegel collection with one of our visitor's guides

NEW:

• Audio guide of the Old Masters Museum, with special Bruegel tour (in EN, FR, NL, DE)
  
• Bruegel visitor guide (in EN, FR, NL, DE)
  
  

For Groups

Book a private tour for your group and let one of our guides immerse you into the world of Bruegel. We offer tours for primary and secondary schools, as well as adult (cultural) groups. 

Guided tours are available in English, Dutch, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese and Greek.

Group reservations
Mail | +32 (0)2 508 33 33

Activities

The RMFAB offer a wide range of activities for individual visitors and groups in the context of the Bruegel Year. Join a guided tour, lecture, workshop,... and discover Bruegel from a new angle!

Discover all our activities in our calendar

MADE TO MEASURE

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium aim to make their rooms and collections accessible to each visitor. Made to Measure offers guided tours, creative courses, workshops and themed activities tailored to specific audiences. In this way everyone has the opportunity to visit the museum in a personal and adapted way, regardless of disability, culture, language or any other restriction.

Publications

Bruegel’s Winter Scenes: Historians and Art Historians in Dialogue
Tine Luk Meganck & Sabine van Sprang 
2018 | 248p. | 300ill.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder is today best known for his peasant paintings and winter scenes. Of these masterpieces belong to the RMFAB: Winter Landscape with Skaters and Bird Trap (1565), Bruegel's most-copied work, and the Census at Bethlehem (1566). This richly illustrated publication, focusing on the panels of the RMFAB, sheds new light on these masterpieces, as well as on the historical context.

[More info]

Bruegel the Elder, Fall of the Rebel Angels
Art, Knowledge and Politics on the Eve of the Dutch Revolt
Tine Luk Meganck
2014 | 208p.

This sixteenth number of the Cahiers of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium was made after several years of research on the works of Pieter Bruegel the Elder. This book reveals some long kept secrets about The Fall of the Rebel Angels, in particular its rendering of fantastic creatures and enigmatic objects and traces unexpected links between art, knowledge and politics in Bruegel’s time.
[More info]