Art Nouveau Tour in Brussels?

Hi Carolyn, there are brochures you can get from the tourist information centre which are self-guided walks, or ARAU has some tours. However, ARAU caters to locals (an organisation to promote the conservation of Brussels' heritage) and so consequently the ARAU tours are not regular, and some are only in French. I think your better bet might be to target certain Art Nouveau buildings on your own: the Musical Instruments Museum in the centre of Brussels is a former Art Nouveau department store, and a splendid example (plus the museum is pretty good, and the restaurant, which has Belgian specialities, also has views of the city's rooftops). The Horta Museum in St.-Gilles would also be a must-see; it's not open Mondays. I believe there are guided tours of it. You can get there on Tram 92 from Place Louise, which goes up Chaussée de Charleroi; alight at Janson. There are also other examples of Art Nouveau houses like Hôtel van Eetvelde, which is open on a Monday. It is located near Square Ambiorix (a walk from Schuman metro), where there is also Maison Cauchie. I am not sure if you can get into Maison Cauchie as it may not be open when you are there, but you can see it from the outside. Square Ambiorix (all residential) is quite pretty. There used to be an Irish pub on Rue Archimède, which is on the pathway to Schuman (watering hole to reward you for all that walking). There is a lot of information on Art Nouveau buildings in Brussels on the Visit Brussels website and I suggest you start by looking there, and you can narrow down from there what you want to see. And of course you could look for a private guide, but I don't know anyone who does this. I have done a walk through St.-Gilles looking at Art Nouveau but if I were a beginner I would prioritise the buildings I listed above, because the examples in St.-Gilles are not as significant. Glad to answer questions.

Lavandula

For a self-guided walk, check here (use translate)
https://www.visit.brussels/nl/bezoekers/plan-je-trip/architectuurwandelingen/art-nouveau-en-art-deco

Maybe the Art Nouveau Pass may interest you https://www.brusselsmuseums.be/en/our-projects/art-nouveau-pass

Thanks - that's just the kind of summary guidance I'm wondering about. I was thinking that it would be "faster"/easier to find a guide/tour rather than try and figure it out ourselves - and especially not knowing where to start. I figured we do the Horta and Magritte Museums on Tuesday; hoping to do other Art Nouveau on Monday and/or something on Sunday afternoon since main museums are closed on Monday. Thanks for any other insights.

There's a website for that too...

https://www.visit.brussels/en/visitors/what-to-do/brussels-on-a-monday

Lavandula

EDIT: I remember the pub, it's The James Joyce :)

If you want to have lunch or dinner in an Art Nouveau setting

• Comme chez Soi (for those who can afford it) https://www.commechezsoi.be/?lang=en
  https://maps.app.goo.gl/HvZypLiek3y6eLLQA

• La Porteuse d'Eau (most authentic one) https://laporteuse.eu/en
  https://maps.app.goo.gl/z6ib1PTgPM6UgmNi6

• Falstaff (most touristic one)
  https://www.falstaffresto.be/
  https://maps.app.goo.gl/YPcoGtgswN5jKJCD8

• Le Perroquet (the coolest one)
  https://maps.app.goo.gl/Nbd2nza65Fw27N7w6

• MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) (no dinner)
  https://maps.app.goo.gl/i8CVnnjwkqz5mGiPA

Brussels is tricky on Mondays, but here is the best way to see Art Nouveau on those specific days:

Best Tour: Bravo Discovery runs their Art Nouveau/Art Deco tour on Sun, Mon, and Tue. It’s the most reliable way to see the major facades with a pro guide.

The "Monday" Must: Maison Hannon is a restored masterpiece that is actually open on Mondays (rare for museums!). It has an incredible central staircase and frescoes.

Daily Option: Museum Van Buuren is open every day. It’s a mix of Art Nouveau and Art Deco with a beautiful "Garden of Hearts" outside.

Tuesday Special: The Art & History Museum (closed Mon) is a great Tuesday pick. You can see the full interior of Victor Horta’s Wolfers jewelry shop inside.

Enjoy it !

Great suggestions above.

The restaurant in the Musical Instruments Museum has been closed for some time. If you're traveling late in 2026, check the museum website shortly before your trip to see whether it has reopened.

Windyram, you are forgetting Le Cirio:

https://lecirio.be/en

Lavandula

EDIT: When you are there, a house speciality is the Half and Half - half white wine, half champagne.

The restaurant in the Musical Instruments Museum has been closed for some time.

Thank you for reminding me. You're absolutely right. It's highly doubtful it would reopen by the end of 2026. After the bankruptcy, serious infrastructure deficiencies were discovered, and the renovation seems to be more work than originally anticipated.
Incidentally, they're looking for partners and funding to transform this venue into a jazz club where people can listen to this music, cocktail in hand, in an iconic location. This idea is being targeted for 2030, the year of Belgium's bicentennial.

Thanks Lavandula, absolutely correct. I completely forgot Le Cirio. It's even more Art Nouveau than Falstaff, located on the other side of the Bourse. The latter is a blend of Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and Eclecticism.