Musical Instruments Museum (MIM): A Symphony of Sight and Sound

The Musical Instruments Museum (MIM), located in the heart of Brussels, is a celebration of musical heritage from around the globe. Part of the Royal Museums of Art and History, the MIM boasts a collection of over 8,000 instruments, with around 1,200 on display, making it one of the world's most diverse musical instrument museums. The museum's collection was established in 1877, initially to demonstrate early instruments to students at the Brussels Royal Music Conservatory. The collection quickly grew, and in 2000, it found its permanent home in the Old England department store, an Art Nouveau masterpiece designed by Paul Saintenoy. The building itself is a sight to behold, with its intricate steel and glass facade. Inside, the MIM is organized across four floors, each dedicated to different aspects of musical history and instrument types. Visitors are given infrared headphones that play musical extracts of the instruments on display, creating an immersive and engaging experience. The museum showcases Belgian musical history, European traditions, and non-European instruments. Highlights include mechanical instruments, traditional instruments from around the world, and the evolution of modern orchestral instruments. A unique collection of mechanical, electrical, and electronic instruments can also be found. Brussels' importance in musical instrument making is also highlighted, notably as the home of Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone. Since 2020, the MIM has been home to the oldest surviving saxophone in the world, a baritone saxophone dating back to 1846. To complete the experience, a restaurant on the 10th-floor terrace offers panoramic views of Brussels' historic center.