Let the music play for free
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blog Bruxelles
by Anita Kalmane What are your plans the upcoming days? Working all day long? Enjoying the sun and enjoying Summer? Shopping and exploring Brussels? Here is one more thing to add to your list – forget about everything and relax in the Musical Instruments Museum!
From the 11th of June until the 20th of June, the Musical Instrument Museum of Brussels (also known as MIM) is celebrating its 10 year anniversary by offering everybody free entrance to the museum during those 10 days. Happy Birthday to them, but the presents are for us!
If you have never been to the museum itself, this is an opportunity you cannot miss out on! It was my first time in the museum as well and now I can only wonder: why I did not go there before? Art lovers, music lovers, history lovers, museum lovers and all other lovers – everybody can find something to fall in love with at the MIM.
No headphones, no fun
But let’s start from the beginning: the moment you approach the building on Montagne de la Cour 2. You are standing in the front of the building, looking up at the top, where it says “Old England”. You keep wondering if you are in the right place. The beautiful former “Old England” department store from the very end of 19th century does not seem like the right place, but the sign below clarifies it all – it is the museum, indeed. So, let’s go in and explore!
After entering the museum, you get your free ticket (hurry up, only 'till Sunday!) and headphones, which are very, very important. No headphones, no fun at the museum (or at least only half the fun). Just take some steps down and the journey can begin... Are your headphones and ears ready to hear the museum? Are you ready to not only see it?
Welcome to the past
In the first room, you are welcomed to the past. Listen to the ancient Egyptian rhythms, lose yourself in the sound of a violin and discover what music the aristocrats in the middle ages preferred.
Personally, my favourite room was the second one which hosts traditional music instruments, starting with Belgian instruments and finishing with African. Hearing so many different sounds and tones of music made me wish I could stay there forever and just enjoy, enjoy, enjoy...
The third room is dedicated to mechanical, electrical and electronic instruments. Pay attention to the diversity of clocks. You will also get to see an orchestrion from 19th century and different kinds of bells.
When entering the last room, you can lose your mind trying to decide which string and keyboard instruments you should check out first. The museum is proud to have the oldest models of stringed instruments in the world, so pay careful attention to them! You will also appreciate the Mirror Room, where the only thing missing is your ball dress or suit... And let the ball begin!
An amazing view over Brussels
So that's it? That's the end of the museum? No, not yet! Take the stairs up to the top, where an amazing view over Brussels will surely astonish you. The Royal Palace, Brussels Old Town and its surroundings will take your breath away and make you feel like you want to stay there forever. As you are in the restaurant now, you can indeed order yourself a cup of coffee or a small lunch and enjoy Brussels to the fullest!
For further information, visit the MIM's website.