18 years of Museum Night Fever!
This year, Museum Night Fever is celebrating its 18th anniversary!
To mark the occasion, let’s take a quick trip back in time.
In 2008, the Brussels Museums team decided to launch Museum Night in Brussels, an event that already existed in Antwerp and several other Belgian/European cities but was still new to our capital. The idea is simple: to promote Brussels museums by targeting a young audience. With a bold, dynamic programme involving young artists, Museum Night Fever sets the tone: a night of discovery, culture, and celebration that breathes fresh air into the museum world.
The first edition of Museum Night Fever took place in seven museums in the city centre: The King’s house - Brussels City Museum, the Comic Art Museum, Museum of the National Bank of Belgium, Bozar, the Musical Instruments Museum (MIM), the BELvue Museum, and the Coudenberg Palace. The night ended on a high note with an afterparty at Bozar.
And what a first edition it was! By 8 p.m. all the tickets were sold out, with around 13,000 visits recorded at the museums. Stéphanie Masuy, the first project manager, recounts: “When I left the office and saw the queues, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, we could do this.’”
Museum Night Fever was a resounding success, strengthening the collective identity of museums and highlighting their dynamism. The event demonstrated that museums and cultural heritage have a rightful place in the capital’s nightlife.
Eighteen years later, the event may not have changed much in spirit, but it has grown considerably, becoming a staple of the Brussels cultural scene. From 7 participating museums in 2008, Museum Night Fever has grown to no fewer than 33 in 2025, which open their doors from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., offering an increasingly original and festive programme to its audience.
This unique night is organized by the Brussels Museums team, the participating museums, the young artists who create the program and around 300 volunteers. It attracts an average of 16,000 visitors each year.
So, don’t miss this anniversary edition on Saturday 18 October 2025! Buy your ticket on our Ticket page and get ready for an unforgettable night!
