Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The City of Brussels has applied for a permit to restore the Broodhuis roof and façades after leaks forced removal of second-floor artworks; the city council approval for the budget is pending.
As VRT News reported, work on restoring the Broodhuis is finally moving ahead after years of preparation.
“The city has requested a building permit from urban.brussels for the restoration of the entire outer shell, the roof, and the facades,”
says De Laveleye.
“A budget has also been included in the 2026 budget. For us, that’s a positive sign that the municipal council is truly committed to this.”
What is the city of Brussels doing to restore the Broodhuis?
The City of Brussels has submitted the permit request and is now arranging the necessary funding for the project. Chief curator Bérangère de Laveleye said that if both the permit and budget are approved, construction could begin at the end of 2026 or in early 2027.
The museum will stay open to visitors during the works, but the 2nd floor will be fully cleared and closed. Only the large St. Michael statue will remain in its place.
“After all, everything is done externally.”
The Manneken Pis collection will be moved to another section of the museum so that the public can still visit it while the restoration continues.
“At a later stage we will also apply for a permit for the renovation of the interior.”
Bérengère de Laveleye, Chief Curator, Museum of the City of Brussels/Broodhuis
The project will later move into a 2nd phase that focuses on the building’s interior.
“It’s a 19th-century museum, completely unsuited to 21st-century standards,”
says historian and author Roel Jacobs.
“It will need a complete overhaul.”
De Laveleye explained that the Broodhuis is not properly equipped to receive the 100,000 to 120,000 visitors who come each year.
“In a second phase, we’ll apply for a permit to renovate the interior. We’re working on it,”
De Laveleye said.
The building has no elevator, limited cloakroom space and too few restrooms. These facilities will be improved after the exterior work is finished. The curator also confirmed that the second floor will not look the same once the restoration is complete, as updates will be made to make the space more accessible and suitable for visitors.
“We’re going to be shifting the collection. The collection about the history of the Grote Mark will not return. It will have a new theme and will also be presented differently,”
De Laveleye said.
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Comments
20 responses to “Brussels Seeks Permit to Restore Broodhuis with De Laveleye”
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Just what we need, another bureaucratic tango for a roof and some faҫades! I’ll bet they’ll have the whole thing sorted by the time we’ve aged a couple of fine cheeses. 🧀😏
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Oh, splendid! A roof over our heads finally being prioritized—what a revolutionary concept! Can’t wait for 2027 when we’ll have the joy of wandering through a historic museum with a brand new sense of confusion 🤔.
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Looks like Brussels is finally getting around to fixing the Broodhuis—better late than never, eh? 🙈 Maybe by 2027, it’ll be just modern enough for the tourists to stop complaining about the lack of loos! 🏛️
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Finally, a permit to fix the Broodhuis! Just what we need to distract us from the fact that it’s been leaking like a sieve for ages. 🙄 Can’t wait to visit the “new” museum in 2030, or whenever they finally get around to it!
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Finally, a chance to pour some euros into a roof that leaks like a sieve! Can’t wait to see if the fancy new facade will keep the rain out or just keep the tourists dry from the drips of history! 😂🏛️
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Seems like the Broodhuis is getting a facelift worthy of a Eurotrash reality show—nothing says “we care” like a permit request for a roof! 🙄 Let’s just hope they finish before the next century rolls in.
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So, they’ve finally decided to patch up the Broodhuis, eh? I suppose it’s a tad more exciting than watching paint dry on a Brussels wall… at least we’ll have some fresh leaks instead of the old ones! 😂
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Just what Brussels needed, another permit to restore something that’s been falling apart since the last century! 🙄 But hey, at least the St. Michael statue will still be on duty while the rest of us wait another decade for a roof that doesn’t leak! 🏛️✨
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Restoring the Broodhuis, eh? Perfect timing—who doesn’t love a bit of scaffolding to spice up their visit to the 19th century? 🤷♂️ Maybe they’ll throw in a complimentary hard hat with every ticket! 🎩
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Seems like the city’s got its priorities straight—fixing a roof while we’re drowning in a sea of bureaucratic leaks. Can’t wait for the 2026 grand reveal, because who doesn’t love a good restoration project that takes longer than a Belgian winter? 😂🧱
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Oh great, another shiny project to make Brussels look even fancier—because who doesn’t love a roof over their heads when it rains, right? 😂 Just what we need, more paperwork and permits to get the job done by 2027!
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Looks like the Broodhuis is getting a facelift just in time for the next century. I mean, who doesn’t love waiting until 2026 for a roof that doesn’t leak? 🤷♂️
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Hard to believe we’re still waiting for a roof over our heads in the Broodhuis, but hey, at least 2026 is around the corner, right? 🏗️ By then, the leaks might just be classified as modern art! 😂
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Oh, brilliant! Just what we need, a 19th-century museum trying to catch up with the 21st century. 😂 You’d think with all the time they had, they’d have figured out how to add a lift or two!
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Oh, fantastic! Just what we needed – a restoration project that might actually be done by 2027! I can hardly wait to see the 19th-century museum transformed into a glorified waiting room for tourists. 😏🚌
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Looks like Brussels is finally giving the Broodhuis a makeover after years of waiting – because who doesn’t love a century-old museum that’s about as modern as a flip phone? 🤷♂️✨
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Seems like Brussels is really in a rush to fix that roof—because nothing says “we care” like waiting until the artworks are swimming! 🏊♂️ Let’s hope the budget approval doesn’t take longer than the restoration itself, or we’ll need a boat tour just to see what’s left of the Broodhuis! 🚤
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Oh, brilliant! Just what we needed, another multi-year restoration project to remind us how much we love waiting – maybe they’ll throw in a café at the top for all that wasted time. 😂🍻
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Oh, fantastic! Just what Brussels needed – a restoration project that’ll take longer than my last holiday. I guess we’ll just have to make do with a closed second floor while the city’s finest craftsmen play hide and seek with the budget. 😂
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Oh joy, another permit application in Brussels—because what’s better than adding layers of bureaucracy to a building that’s already as leaky as a sieve? Just what we need, a museum renovation that may actually be complete by the time my grandkids are visiting! 😂🗂️
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