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Valuable collection of Art Nouveau artifacts.

Michelangelo sculpture of mesmeric dignity (see Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk).

A superb collection of paintings by Hans Memling was originally commissioned for the chapel of the medieval hospital, the Sint-Janshospitaal, to bring solace to the sick. Now the conjoining wards and chapel have been restored, giving these works a fascinating context (see Two Museums of Bruges).

“You are what you wear” is the philosophy behind this new museum in Antwerp’s fashion district. The collection presents the theory and practice of fashion, from 16th-century lacemaking to today’s cutting-edge Belgian designers, through imaginative and thought-provoking displays.

The heart as symbol – a heart surgeon’s collection of artifacts.

This small but rewarding collection of art boasts names like Rembrandt, Toulouse-Lautrec and Picasso, as well as leading Belgian artists such as Léon Spilliaert. The museum is located in the borough of Ixelles, just south of the city centre (see Musée Communal d’Ixelles).

The suburban home of the late-19th-century sculptor Constantin Meunier has been turned into a gallery devoted to his work; it leaves the visitor in no doubt of his gifts and the pungency of his social criticism (see Musée Constantin Meunier).

A private collection of art is presented in its original setting: a charming Art Deco home with a beautiful garden (see Musée David et Alice van Buuren).

A rare opportunity to see inside one of Brussels’ maisons de maître (mansions). As well as a fine collection of antique furniture, the Hôtel Charlier contains many reminders of its days as a meeting place for the avant-garde set in the early 20th century (see Musée Charlier).

Brussels’ sewer museum gives an insight into the massive public works that made the city safe to live in during the late 19th century. Visits to a small portion of the vast network by guided tour only.