Since 3 July 2026, visitors can once again visit the Royal Palace in Brussels. A visit costs €10 per person and includes access to the most prestigious rooms, historic salons, and the garden.
Ever since 1965, Brussels’ Royal Palace has been opening its doors to the public during the Summer season. Traditionally, those visits start after Belgium’s national holiday on 21 July and run until September, giving locals and tourists a chance to take a look behind the royal scenes.
However, visits to the Palace had been suspended since 2022 as the building was undergoing extensive renovation works on the façade and the windows. Ever since, visitors have only had access to a virtual tour through the website of the Belgian Monarchy.
On 3 July 2026, the Palace once again opened its doors, an event that was attended by King Filip and Queen Mathilde, who personally visited the exhibitions. These include ‘Louise d’Orléans, Becoming a Queen’ by the Royal Association for Dynasty and Cultural Heritage, ‘Music, Sound and Imagination’ by Belspo, ‘Selection of Dream Machines’ by MyMachine, and ‘The Royal Palace as a Memory Palace’ by Het Geheugenpaleis.
Aside from the temporary exhibitions, a visit to the Palace also includes a large number of state rooms and salons. Some of the most well-known highlights include:
- The Empire Room. Situated in the oldest part of the Palace, this was the ballroom of the Austrian imperial representative. It includes works of Jean-Louis Van Geel and a Kerman rug, offered to King Leopold II by Muzaffar al Din Shah of Persia during a state visit to Belgium in 1900. In the past, the room served as the setting for concerts, court balls and other ceremonies. It is still used to organise ceremonies today.
- The Throne Room. Built under the reign of King Leopold II, the Throne Room is decorated in the centre by four low reliefs by Auguste Rodin, representing the economic activities symbolising the Belgian provinces, as well as with paintings by Thomas Vinçotte. The oak parquet, exotic woods, and gilded chandeliers make for a monumental appearance.
- The Mirror Room. Construction of the Mirror Room began under the reign of Leopold II and was meant to evoke the Congo. King Albert I completed the decoration with wall mirrors, and in 2002, Belgian artist Jan Fabre created an artwork called ‘Heaven of Delight’ in this space, covering the ceiling and one of the three chandeliers with nearly a million and a half jewel beetles. The Mirror Room is used regularly to host events.
The opening season of 2026 runs from 3 July until 16 August, which is notably earlier than usual. The reason for this is a state visit to Belgium by the Danish royal couple in early September, which entails some preparation work beforehand in order to make the state rooms accessible.
Visitors are required to book their tickets to the Royal Palace beforehand through the official website. As of 2026, entrance to the Palace is no longer free of charge, as the Belgian Science Policy no longer covers the costs of the opening due to budget cuts. Adults pay €10 for their visit, while children under 13 can enter for free but should still book a time slot. The Palace is open until 16 August 2026 but will be exceptionally closed on 15, 16, 20, and 21 July.
