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La Fonderie
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Museum dedicated to the Industrial Revolution in Brussels, with a collection of machines, objects, documents and history on the city's industrial past. It is near the canal, in the lathe room of a former bronze foundry which operated under the name La Compagnie des Bronzes from 1854 to 1979. The museum focusses on four key industries that were the most important for the city's industrial development and wealth during the Industrial Revolution: the metal industry, woodworking, textile manufacturing, and food processing. Each of the 4 sectors is presented as showcase machines demonstrating the technology and the factories that made and used them, as well as the working conditions in these factories. Aside from the 300 m² exhibition hall, there are temporary exhibitions on the upper floors on various industry sectors. An English manual is available with translations of the captions of the exhibits.
La Fonderie, Brussels Museum of Industry and Labour is a museum of industrial history in Brussels, Belgium. It collects objects, documents and oral history on the city's industrial past, and showcases the working history of Brussels. It is managed as a non-profit organisation, focusing on analysing and exhibiting the economic and social history of the Brussels Region. It publishes a magazine, organises guided tours, and provides educational activities. La Fonderie also houses a documentation centre open to the public.
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A sculpture by Flemish artist Tom Frantzen, known from Het Zinneke in Brussels and the Bandundu Water Jazz Band in Tervuren. Its name literally means channel rascal (from vaart meaning canal and kapoen meaning rascal in Dutch. Vaartkapoen is also the name given to people born in the Molenbeek suburb in the first half of the 20th century; the bronze sculpture was erected in 1985. Tom Frantzen stages a scene on 2 levels: the sewers (which used to be discharged into the canal), and the level of the pavement represented by the lamp post, the cobblestones, and the manhole cover. De Vaartkapoen, a young rebel reminiscent of a jack-in-the-box, topples over a policeman, symbolically overthrowing his authority. It is a reference to Belgian comic Tintin by Hergé, who portrays police officers in the same graphical style.
The last traditional gueuze/lambic brewery in Brussels, Cantillon still uses natural yeast fermentation (not injected like almost every other beer). The lambics and gueuzes are made in original style with no sweeteners or syrups added. Only 100% bio (organic) and natural fruits are used creating a distinctly sour drink. This museum-esque atmosphere is still a functioning brewery. The tour includes two small glasses of lambic and gueuze, and if you've never had a natural beer before, then you will be (pleasantly) surprised by the taste. An absolute must for beer lovers, save room in your luggage to take bottles back with you!
Nationaal Verzetmuseum
Military museum honouring the Belgian Resistance against German occupation of Brussels during the Second World War. It highlights the key components of the Resistance: underground press, sabotage, armed insurgence, contraband, civil resistance, intelligence networks, escape lines, and protection of civilians. The museum features thematic panels on the history of the First and Second World War: the First World War and its consequences, the Spanish Civil War as precursor to the Second World War, the interbellum (1920s–1940s), the Resistance in Belgium, the various military campaigns, etc. It is settled in the historic Lauwers printing and photoengraving workshop, which served as a Resistance headquarters during the war. Resistance groups, partisans and former political prisoners during the Second World War considered it a duty of posterity to leave testimonials and authentic documents used by the resistance against the Nazi occupation, many of which are on display in the museum. The collection features numerous Resistance weapons, helmets, flags, badges, emblems, armbands, uniforms, funeral urns, photographs, newspapers and leaflets. One of its goals is to raise awareness and sensitise citizens to the dangers of undemocratic systems, whatever their forms are, and the risk of escalation of these threats into devastating conflicts. Since 1972, the civic purpose of the museum is to continue transmission of the ideals and spirits embodied by the Resistance, as to warn young generations to the present dangers of extremism of any kind. Due to the topics addressed in this museum (including the horrors of Nazi concentration camps), it is unsuitable for kids.
Opened in 1982, this metro station has since 2009 housed a permanent exhibition on climate, centred around the Belgian Antarctic research ship Belgica. A steel sculpture, designed by Camiel Van Breedam, decorates the entrances of the station. The information panels, stretching out over the entire length of both platforms are in 3 languages (Dutch, English and French).
Chinamuseum
Museum dedicated to Chinese culture and heritage, founded by missionaries with an interest in ethnology who brought back oriental art and artefacts in 1862, and housed in the Scheut mission of the monastery of Anderlecht. The initial purpose of the museum was to make young missionaries acquainted with the Chinese culture. It has an exhibit on the Chinese language and its script, an impressive collection of Chinese coins, and many other items related to Chinese folklore from the 17th to the 19th century. It also features a section with a general overview of Chinese and Mongolian daily life. Throughout the museum there is a distinct focus on popular beliefs in China and Mongolia, as well as different religions including Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and Lamaism. This highlights the evangelization of China and the four major contract periods with Christianity. A peculiar part of the museum is its gallery with a collection of 3,000 portraits of missionaries from around the world.
Église Saint-Gilles/Sint-Gilliskerk
A 19th century church in eclectic style, inspired by Romanesque and Gothic architecture elements, and very popular at the time. The church is a design of civil engineer Victor Besme, who led construction from 1878 until its consecration in 1880. Interestingly, the church is the third place of worship for St. Gillis, originally a small suburb outside the Brussels city walls. The first one was destroyed in 1578 by local inhabitants to prevent it from being used by Spanish troops during their siege of Brussels, but subsequently reconstructed in 1595 at the same spot. It was destroyed again a century later during the 1695 bombardment of Brussels, after which it was renovated and a new tower added in 1823.