MIMA Museum

This contemporary visual art museum set along the canal in an old brewery has got the best visual art exhibitions.

Not your ordinary Brussels Art Museum

The Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art aka MIMA (so much easier to pronounce!) is one museum we really recommend you visit to get your art fix in Brussels. Multiple of us at Live the World have visited various exhibitions, and they’re always varying and always trending and making you think.

Fun fact: Millennium is the time stamp highlighting the scope of the museum, and iconoclast is just a fancy word for someone who goes against social norms. And you get the museum of art part! MIMA is basically an open space for non-traditional art aimed at the younger generations, but enjoyed by all ages.

Mima’s aim is to give the public a history on “culture 2.0.” In MIMA you’ll find exhibits on different topics like music culture (punk, electro, hip hop), graphic art and illustration, cinema, performance, tattoos, fashion design, and urban art such as graffiti. This isn’t your typical museum stuffed with historical facts or work from artists long gone. The art focuses on topics from here and now, by young, local and international artists.

Get Cultured

• MIMA’s representation of art focuses on culture and social issues, and tries to present them in a way for their guests to connect with. They have three exhibition floors, providing a combination of permanent and temporary exhibits throughout the year. Some of their most iconic pieces have included virtual reality games, lifesize tomato sculptures, and even a deep dive into classic porn cinema. If you’re into the world of weird and quirky, MIMA is for you.
• 100 years of history: The MIMA building used to belong to one of the largest Belgian Gueuze Breweries, with at one point holding buildings for horse stables, a malting factory, a kiln, a dispensing area and the brewery itself. The brewery was sold and converted into MIMA when it opened its doors in March of 2016.
• Food, booze, and art to go: After absorbing all the art, make sure to head over to MIMA’s restaurant and bar area for some snacks, beer, or wine. There’s also a gift shop on your way out - stop by and pick up one of the funky-designed shirts, puzzles, or prints to take with you!