Best of Brussels in October

Hello October! If, like us, you’re not quite ready to surrender to the season’s gloomier, shorter and cooler days, our monthly agenda is here to brighten things up. Packed with exciting exhibitions and vibrant events, it’s all about keeping spirits high and days feeling warm. Let’s jump in!

The 18th edition of Museum Night Fever lights up Brussels on the evening of 18 October, with 34 museums across the city that you can visit with one single ticket. Some museums are making a comeback after a few years, like the Old Masters Museum, Centrale for contemporary art, and Lab·An x Hotel Van Eetvelde. Expect original installations, performances and concerts to take over some of the city’s most popular cultural venues for a night..

The WIELS Art Book Fair is back on the weekend of 4 & 5 October with more than 50 independent art publishers presenting their books, zines, artist books, catalogues, and limited editions. Free and open to all, this annual gathering is a must for book lovers, collectors, art enthusiasts, and professionals alike.

Architecture and art exhibitions

With its focus on ‘the future of the past’, the 11th edition of ARTONOV festival takes place from 3-12 October and presents a programme of heritage and reinvention. Visitors can expect a dialogue between eras, cross-disciplinary performances, site-specific installations and sensitive exhibitions.

A new exhibition in BOZAR highlights the work of John Baldessari, a prominent conceptual artist. Known for his paintings combining art historical references with Hollywood film stills, he blurred visual boundaries and developed a complex narrative language tinged with humour.

ANTE Festival shines a spotlight on the architectural treasures of Brussels from the period 1780 – 1920, known as the ‘long 19th century’. This was an era characterised by major developments, transitions, ruptures and experiments, both aesthetically and technically. The programme (11-19 October) includes guided visits of interiors that are normally closed to the public, themed walks, bike tours, lectures, and a wide range of activities tailored for different audiences.

The Boghossian Foundation in Villa Empain presents Fire, an exhibition that brings together around fifty modern and contemporary artists from diverse backgrounds around the captivating theme of fire.

To continue with themed exhibitions, A TABLE! is a new free exhibition with food as main focus. Expect works by eight contemporary artists in dialogue with the Schaerbeek municipal collection and partner projects, hosted by Maison des Arts.

Balle pelote has been a quintessential part of life in Brussels for the past 150 years. A descendant of a medieval form of handball known as jeu de paume, this sport pits two teams of five players against each other striking the ball with their hands, right in the city’s public squares. Discover this legendary sport at the Brussels City Museum at the Grand-Place until 12 October.

Performative and multidisciplinary arts

What did the North Pole look like in 1897? Follow the extraordinary story of the three adventurers who attempted to cross it in a hot air balloon in ‘White Box’! Discover more at La Monnaie on 29 & 30 October.

The Biennale de la Danse is back from 3 -18 October in Les Halles de Schaerbeek and multiple locations. The event offers an immersion in contemporary dance of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, while welcoming an international selection of artists, including several Belgian premieres.

From 9 to 18 October, the Festival des Libertés returns to the Théâtre National Wallonie-Brussels with an edition resolutely turned towards dialogue. An abundant program will mix shows, concerts, documentaries, conferences, debates, performances and moments of participatory reflection — all in a festive and committed spirit.

Following its annual tradition, the group exhibition Future Generation presents the winners of the MAD Graduation Prize 2025, showcasing their graduation projects. From textile and interior design to industrial product development and fashion design, dive into the works of the new Brussels talents.

The Living Earth Festival brings together culture, life sciences, and society from 9 to 12 October at Place Flagey, La Cambre Abbey, and the Solbosch Campus. Four days of meetings, performances, conferences, workshops and exhibitions to rethink our place in the living world.

If you fancy a little trip from Brussels, the City of Mons hosts the exhibition David Hockney. The Song of the Earth at the CAP, a polyphonic journey combining painting, music and poetry with Gustav Mahler’s symphony as its guiding thread. From 4 October to 25 January 2026.

After the festival summer season, the Belgian capital is back to its busy concert schedule welcoming international stars like Damiano David, Suzanne Vega, Parov Stelar or Patti Smith and indoor festivals of all genres. Check the unique selection of festivals, concerts and parties all around Brussels & Belgium in our October music agenda.

Travel around the World without leaving Belgium

Cirque du Soleil is in town for a few more weeks with Alegría, a spectacle with iconic music, stunning acrobatics, vibrant sets, and whimsical humor. Show runs in Brussels until 9 November. More info

Beer lovers have a date with Oktoberfest, probably the most famous German celebration, from 14 to 25 October in Parc du Cinquantenaire. Expect lively festival atmosphere dedicated to the Bavarian gastronomic culture. Grab your spot schnell! 🙂

Right next to it, Autoworld’s newest exhibition German Tuners features 15 iconic vehicles from the 80s and the 90s, including a Treser’s Quattro Roadster, Mattig’s Manta Manta and Buchmann’s Rainbow Porsche.

Spain will take over this year’s edition of Europalia festival, starting on 8 October and bringing visual arts, music, flamenco, cinema, literature and talks to over 30 different venues.

Travel to South Africa with the photo exhibition What’s The Word? Johannesburg!, hosted by A Foundation. Through the eyes of nine young South African photographers, the show reveals the city’s pulse – its tensions, hopes, and resilience – through themes like identity, love, spirituality, and family.

On 18 & 19 October discover oriental pop culture with Made In Asia, the place to be for fans of manga, anime, videogames and cosplay. Fans of anime and science fiction can also meet their idols at Heroes Comic Con in Tour & Taxis, with the presence of iconic TV stars like Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) or part of the cast of 90210 Beverly Hills.

On the same dates, check Korea Unboxed at the Korean Cultural Center in Sablon: Experience latest Korean trends in Brussels, from K-Beauty, K-Food to K-tourism to feel as if you’re in Korea. If you want something to savour, Antwerp hosts the Belgium Sake Festival on 4 & 5 October with more than 200 sakes to taste, masterclasses and live acts.

Arvo Pärt Festival takes place from 8 to 11 October in Flagey celebrating the 90th birthday of this iconic Estonian musician, performed by renowned choirs.

EU Quarter tips:

Last chance to visit the expo Raising our roots – Bruxelles à travers onze ogen at the House of European History.Created by the Echoes collective, a group of 15 young adults from Brussels aged between 18 and 26, from different neighbourhoods, with a shared interest in Europe’s past, present and future. Together, they explored who is represented in history, how, and why, and what this means to young people today. Until 31 October.

On 18 October, the House of European History is dreaming forward, visualising and manifesting bold & creative visions of Europe’s future, in addition to showcasing our present and recent past. Join Museum Night Fever and enjoy an evening with special tours, creative workshops and energetic performances.

Tuesday Lunch Tours by guest artists from La Cambre: This October, meet the artists who contributed work to museum’s temporary exhibition. In this participatory project, students of La Cambre School of Visual Arts were asked to respond to certain sections of the exhibition. The tours are in English and last 45 minutes. Free of charge and no booking required. Start at the Family Kiosk.

Embracing Autumn:

Pumpkimania is back in Groot-Bijgaarden until 2 November. Step into a world of colour and imagination, where Roman-themed sculptures are beautifully decorated with pumpkins.

If you need plans for Halloween weekend, from parades to workshops and parties over the spookiest night of the year, get inspired here.

Kids-friendly activities:

For young explorers with a curious eye (and their parents), Brussels City Hall on the Grand Place offers more than just a photo opportunity. Step inside the storied halls with the help of an inventive children’s parcours – part treasure hunt, part architectural deep-dive, brought to life through smart, interactive video guides. The experience is immersive, multilingual (French, Dutch, English, German, Italian and Spanish), and entirely self-paced, making it fun & engaging for all generations.

Immersive expo Dino World. 🦕 Wander through an educational and playful trail filled with life-sized, moving dinosaurs in an impressive indoor and outdoor jungle spanning over 5,000 m². More than 55 animated dinos bring prehistory to life in Palais 2 at Brussels Expo. Great for families and dino fans of all ages.

Plans for next month? Superstar cellist and co-founder of 2Cellos, HAUSER, returns to the stage with his new world tour: The Rebel Is Back. On 7 November, Forest National in Brussels will resonate with the sound of the cello in a show filled with intensity, emotion, and electrifying energy. Don’t miss!

Also happening this month:

• MAURICE, Tristesse et rigolade is a moving testimony that tells the story of a struggle – one man’s battle with illness – and of a rebirth, carried by the love of a daughter. Somewhere between documentary storytelling and surreal tale, this visual and poetic narrative resonates as a timeless tribute from Belgian photographer Charlotte Abramow to her father, Maurice. For the first time, this intimate work takes the form of an immersive exhibition, presented at Hangar.
• I Love Science Festival is back from 10 to 12 October in Tour & Taxis. A captivating event open to all: stimulating conferences for adults, fun activities for children, and educational workshops for school classes. More info
• The 17th edition of Brussels International Women’s Film Festival takes place from 7 to 12 October at Cinema Palace, Aventure and Galeries with national and international films with a focus on Iran. Info
• Pink Screens, Brussels Queer Film Festival is back from 10 October to 10 November in various cinemas of the capital celebrating visual art and performances by queer artists. Check the programme here
• The landmark exhibition Amazônia is an invitation to see, listen, and reflect on the future of biodiversity and humanity’s place within the living world. Expo features works of Sebastião Salgado, celebrated Brazilian photographer who captured striking images of humanity and nature in the Amazon rainforest. Until 11 November at Tour & Taxis.
• (Re)discover the unique universe of Frida Kahlo with the immersive exhibition Viva Frida Kahlo. Dedicated to the work and life of the world-famous Mexican artist, dive into a new and emotionally powerful 360° experience right in the heart of Brussels, at the iconic venue, The Viage.
• Fashion & Lace Museum hosts an expo about STIJL, the iconic boutique located on Dansaertstraat, which played an important part in writing the story of fashion in our city. 40+ Years of Stijl is the story of a boutique, a neighbourhood, a burgeoning creative scene and an art movement with an international influence.
• All over at Horta Museum. From Art Deco to Modernism (1910-1945), this expo showcases decorative richness of textiles, carpets, wallpapers by Belgian and international artists. Until 2 November.
• ART DECO. Style in a changing society at Belvue museum. The King Baudouin Foundation is showcasing Art Deco pieces from its collection, offering a captivating journey through sculptures by renowned artists such as Marcel Wolfers and Oscar Jespers, vases by Charles Catteau, glassware by Val Saint Lambert, decorative tiles, stylised book bindings, furniture, medals, and much more.
• Art Deco 1925 >< Mode 2025 in Halles Saint-Géry offering a reinterpretation of Art Deco through the prism of 10 Brussels designers.
• The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium presents Spilliaert Room, a new room dedicated to the poetic and mysterious world of the Belgian painter, illustrator and draughtsman Léon Spilliaert.
• Thematic exhibition Echoes of Art Deco at Villa Empain.Set against the lively musical backdrop of the era, the exhibition offers an immersive experience into the lifestyle of the Roaring Twenties. Until 2 November.
• Immersive exhibition focusing on writer Jules Verne. ‘Jules Verne 200’ experience in the Horta Gallery. Get acquainted with some of the writer’s work while being immersed in five of his stories.
• A world of thrilling adventures filled with fun and beloved characters! Dive into the immersive settings of Mundo Pixar and meet your favourites as you journey through Pixar’s most unforgettable movies like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc or Inside Out.
• Art Pops expo at the Belfius Art Centre on Place Rogier. These annual exhibitions on the top floor of Belfius building have become an unmissable addition to the art scene in the Belgian capital.