Created for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair (Expo 58), the building wasn’t built to handle extreme heat. Its unique stainless-steel spheres trap heat, making the inside uncomfortably warm during high temperatures.
The Atomium is open from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. until Wednesday, with last entry at 1 p.m. Those who purchased tickets online can reschedule visits anytime throughout 2025.
This is the second occasion the attraction has shortened hours due to heat, the first being in 2019.
Much like the rest of Europe, Belgium is enduring a heatwave, with the Royal Meteorological Institute issuing an orange alert for Tuesday and Wednesday as temperatures approach 37°C.
In Brussels, officials have introduced heat-mitigation measures to safeguard vulnerable groups. Nurseries without air conditioning may close temporarily; outreach teams are providing water to the homeless; and social workers are monitoring elderly residents.













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