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BRUSK, our brand new art hall in the vibrant heart of Bruges, will open its doors on 8 May 2026. Already curious about the plans? Read all about the new, inspiring cultural temple for top-level international exhibitions and events here.
Together with Flanders, the City of Bruges is investing in an impressive museum master plan in the historic centre of UNESCO World Heritage City Bruges. The new BRUSK exhibition hall is the beating heart of a brand new, two-hectare art site featuring the BRON research centre, the renovated Groeninge Museum and a green museum park A brand new inspiring and artistic hotspot in the heart of the city. The new art site is the capstone of Bruges' Museum Quarter, similar to cities such as Berlin, Amsterdam and Vienna. An inspiring oasis where art and creativity flourish.
Every year in the BRUSK exhibition hall, Musea Brugge will put on various ground-breaking, multi-faceted and surprising exhibitions and cultural events, with international allure. At the same time, BRUSK will create the space to preserve and explore the rich art collection of Musea Brugge.
BRUSK will put on various ground-breaking, multi-faceted and surprising exhibitions and cultural events, with international allure.
Multi-faceted, surprising, groundbreaking. BRUSK will start its first year with a bang with three high-profile exhibitions that will put the brand-new exhibition hall on the international map as a cultural attraction. The BRUSK exhibitions of Musea Brugge will tell new, impactful and surprising stories that are topical and socially relevant. The exhibitions will present original insights and contemporary stories about centuries of art, heritage and culture, thereby boosting knowledge, passion and appreciation for art and heritage.
It all starts on 8 May 2026. BRUSK will open with two exhibitions: a prestigious cultural-historical exhibition and an impressive digital art exhibition by a leading contemporary artist. Later on in the year, BRUSK will present an unexpected encounter between fashion and contemporary art. An ambitious exhibition programme that will touch, inspire, and amaze.
The three exhibitions are also complemented by a superb public programme, with a calendar bursting with inspiring activities. From introductory tours, workshops and performances to lectures and children's activities. BRUSK intends to offer something for everyone, right from the outset.
BRUSK is an impressive, state-of-the-art museum building. The design by Robbrecht & Daem and Olivier Salens architects, realised by developer CIT Red, puts integral sustainability, architectural innovation and harmony centre stage.
The ground floor is a transparent and freely accessible area that gives public space back to the city, its residents and visitors. Visitors can freely enter the building via the 'Scala', the central staircase boasting abundant natural light. From here they will discover the spacious and vibrant 'Forum' on one side, with its reception area, museum shop and children's workshops.
At the Forum, visitors can also regularly enjoy evening events such as shows and performances. On the other side of the Scala you will find the 'Aula', an area for lectures and other events, and the lively and welcoming BAR BRUSK Take a break during your museum visit or meet up with friends or family? At BAR BRUSK, enjoy delicious local products in a casual setting.
Scala
Exhibition hall
The two monumental exhibition halls are on the next floor up. Here visitors can discover the spectacular BRUSK exhibitions. At 13.5 metres high, the ceiling stands out straight away. An architectural nod to historic churches and cathedrals. Natural light enters through a north-facing window, exactly as in classical artists' studios.
Integral ecological sustainability has an important role to play in BRUSK. The roofs of BRUSK are clad in electricity-generating glass panels that supply the building with renewable energy. Underneath BRUSK is a BTES field that provides natural heating in winter and cooling in summer. In other words, the building will be more than twice as energy efficient as the current BEN standard. The building also meets the standards of circular construction as much as possible.
BRUSK is more than a museum for temporary exhibitions. The exhibition hall is a new open space where visitors can freely enter. An artistic hotspot that guarantees surprising experiences. Where different art forms, cultures and worlds come together under one roof. BRUSK is a place buzzing with creativity, where new encounters and experiences are never far away. An open house that invites you to discover, experience and discuss art – in every sense of the word – in an unprecedented way.
Every BRUSK exhibition is complemented by a superb public programme designed with various target groups in mind: young, old, residents of Bruges, tourists, art lovers, visitors looking for new experiences, etc. In the Scala, the Forum, the Aula and the exhibition halls at BRUSK, you will discover a continuous programme of concerts, lectures, introductory tours, children's activities, events, debates, workshops and much more. You can find the public programme at bruskbrugge.be from 2026 on.
BRUSK will become the place for the display of our magnificent collections in a progressive manner that links them with a contemporary cultural experience.
The logistics wing is integrated at the back of the building and is not accessible to the public. It is connected to the exhibition halls of BRUSK and the Groeninge Museum and offers all modern facilities to preserve and research the Musea Brugge collection at the highest level. Besides restoration studios and multipurpose rooms for photography and natural science research, there are also repositories to preserve Musea Brugge's collections of paintings and works on paper in optimal conditions.
Right next to BRUSK is BRON (opening: 19 November 2025), the innovative research centre of Musea Brugge, where collections, expertise and knowledge resources come together in one inspiring place. You will find the scientific museum library, and the consultation room for the collection of works on paper, right in the centre of BRON. The research centre brings together experts from around the world to conduct in-depth research on the art and heritage collection of Bruges. The research results and study projects that BRON produces will find their way into ambitious exhibitions, scientifically based permanent displays, engaging lectures, activating events and digital access that engage and stimulate museum visitors, and catapult the art experience in the Bruges Museum District to a previously unseen level.
20 & 21 September 2025
‘WELKOM BRUSK’ city festival: festive introduction to the building
19 November 2025
Opening of the BRON research centre
20 & 21 November 2025
‘Zooming In and Out: Reconsidering Hans Memling’ conference at BRON
8 May 2026
Opening of the inaugural exhibitions
8, 9 and 10 May 2026
Festive opening weekend of BRUSK
2027 → 2030
Renovation of the Groeningemuseum and construction of the Museum park
The site camera is now closed. It's almost time for the real thing.
Our BRUSK photographer Femke den Hollander portrays the construction site
Photos: © Femke den Hollander
Renders: © Design by Robbrecht en Daem architecten & Olivier Salens architecten, Image by MakeMe.
