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Brussels’ royal museum of fine art holds rich collections of Brueghel, Rubens and Jordaens – also work by Ensor, Magritte, Delvaux, Wouters and the Symbolists (see Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts).

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).

Bruges’ main gallery is celebrated above all for its superb collection of paintings by Flemish Masters of the late medieval “Golden Age”. A small, easily digestible museum (see Two Museums of Bruges).

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).

Ghent’s museum of fine arts (closed for renovation until late 2006) is a bit of a mixed bag, but has a handful of outstanding pieces; just a stone’s throw from SMAK, it forms part of a rewarding double act (see Museum voor Schone Kunsten and SMAK).

This acclaimed gallery of contemporary art not only mounts cutting-edge temporary exhibitions, but also has a remarkable permanent collection. Guaranteed to provoke a reaction from aficionados and the unconverted alike (see Museum voor Schone Kunsten and SMAK).

Antwerp’s excellent fine arts museum has examples of the best of Belgian art, from Jan van Eyck to Pierre Alechinsky, placing it in the top rank of European collections (see Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten).

The location of this museum of contemporary art, in the up-and-coming former dockland area in the south of the city, sets the tone for what lies inside. A ground-breaking gallery with a growing reputation (see MUHKA).