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Parlamentarium
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Parlamentarium

See all things to do
See all things to do
Parlamentarium
4
#23 of 636 things to do in Brussels
Government Buildings
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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About
FREE ENTRY. Experience the European Parliament in Brussels like never before. At our Visitors' Centre, children and adults alike get to discover what the European institutions that represent them are all about in a refreshingly new way: the Parlamentarium. Our Portable Media Guides take our visitors through an interactive journey of European integration, revealing the impact this process has had on the everyday lives of Europeans. As the first ever citizens' exhibition to do so, the Parlamentarium caters to all 24 official languages of the European Union, and is completely free! Our facilities and multimedia guides have been designed to be fully accessible to those with special needs.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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Address
How to get there
  • Maelbeek • 6 min walk
  • Troon • 7 min walk
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576
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
3 486 reviews
Excellent
1 709
Very good
1 166
Average
442
Poor
109
Terrible
60
wordworking
St. Petersburg, FL36 contributions
An interesting introduction to the European Union
Oct 2023 • Solo
I really wanted to see the European Union after studying it during a master's program. While it isn't really possible to visit the EU during its deliberations, the Parlamentarium offers a very creative and thorough look at its origin, history, operation, and current issues. Afterwards, it's an easy walk across the plaza to the Hemicycle, where you can take a peek at the plenary session chamber. Reservations are required for both, but are free and easy to arrange online. If you are a fan of the EU as an ambitious ongoing experiment in multinational democracy and governance, worth the visit.
Written 9 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tk3232
Sugar Land, TX3 823 contributions
A museum for smart, modern, thinking and curious people
Sep 2023 • Couples
This is high-tech, informative museum is designed lo let you meet the European Union and understand how it works. Museum is free, but I am highly recommended check-in online in advance to provide your data, and book the visit's date and time. Pick up your free audio guide headset and start your self-guided tour with a journey through European history and integration. Take a seat in the cinema of the Parlamentarium and get a 360 degrees view of Europe and of its Parliament.

I liked the story about each country and the year it joined the European Union. I liked an interactive floor map which takes visitors on a virtual tour around Europe, highlighting more than 100 stories on the diversity of the continent. I really liked the stand and the great idea to reflect in photographs the most significant events that took place every year during the history of the European Union and their impact on world life and politics. The last photo is 2023 - photo of Volodimir Zelensky. There are tears in my eyes here.

Getting there (not easy) : of course you can mix and match the bus, metro or both but I recommend to take Uber or taxi, especially if you go from city center or first time in this are. Save your energy and time.
Hours: open Mon - 13:00pm - 18 pm, Tue-Fri - 9:00am - 18 pm, Sat-Sun - 10am -18 pm. Duration approx 90 minutes. The museum is unusual, modern and educational.
Written 29 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Owain
United Kingdom21 contributions
Boring, finished in 10-15 mins
Aug 2023 • Solo
A bit boring. Finished it in 10-15 minutes, I’m glad it was free. I’d reccomend the European history museum instead as that was far more interesting. I do not reccommend visiting this place, you should only go if you’re super into politics.
Written 14 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The P's
Southampton, England, United Kingdom21 contributions
The worst museum and most inaccessible exhibition we have ever been to. EVER!
Aug 2023 • Family
To qualify just how bad this was I want to explain that as a family we are interested in politics, we had already visited the Dutch parliament and European parliament on this trip and the Dutch parliament trip in particular had been excellent. On previous holidays we have toured every parliament in the UK (∋), so it's not that we weren't interested in the topic. We also often visit museums and galleries, several good ones on this trip, love an audioguide and have done since the children were little (now older teenagers).

Having said all that ....
This is the worst museum and most inaccessible exhibition we have ever been to. EVER!

I have never come across a poorer execution of an idea than here. It was completely inaccessible to those with autism/adhd and dyslexia in our party. There were no warnings on the website when booking that there was no consideration of ND needs here. Most of it is just randomly placed text in small writing, in any of the EU languages, on coloured backgrounds and there is no clear flow or organisation to help navigate the displays. There are random lighting experiences and colours all over. To make matters worse we were asked to share an audio guide/headphone as there weren't enough to give out (yet the experience was time ticketed and we booked months ago so you would have expected them to have enough for everyone). This alone made it almost impossible as without all having a guide in your own language you couldn't independently access any of the exhibition.

Even for the non ND members of the party it was a pretty horrible experience trying to understand the point of the museum. I left with the start of a headache thanks to the weird lighting. I'd recommend everyone take the informative parliament hemicycle audio tour and just ignore this place.

And final word to our Euro-phile son "if this is what it's like working at the European parliament, no wonder Farage was so desperate to leave"
Written 14 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
twinklestar72
Nottingham, UK65 contributions
Poorly executed and very very dull
Jul 2023 • Family
Very poor experience. Not enough head sets so we were told to share - not easy when they only have one ear piece. Very very dry exhibition just hundreds of pictures you have to use your headset to find out more about byb reading on the headset screen. I like politics but this was really uninteresting.
Written 24 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Charles B
8 contributions
Only for enthusiasts
Jul 2023 • Solo
Only really for EU enthusiasts who want to be saturated with EU bilge. A visit to the nearby voting chamber is more interesting and more than enough. This place seems like an expensive vanity project.
Written 11 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JoeandKay
Seattle, WA256 contributions
Worth the Visit
May 2023 • Solo
This is the visitor educational center for learning about the EU’s Parliament. Make a reservation for a time slot. You pick up a media device to assist you on your self guided tour. Works well and gives opportunities to listen or in some cases interact. Go at your own pace. Lots of info to be had. Can spend a half an hour or 2 hours. Very well done information center for the public.
Written 23 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hilary d
London, UK777 contributions
Parliamentarium 8.5.23
May 2023
My daughter booked this on second day in Brussels,its ok,but after about an one hour,its a bit much to take in!there are other more interesting places to visit!
Written 10 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cme1234
Singapore, Singapore442 contributions
Interesting
Apr 2023 • Solo
The parliamentarium is an interesting place. It showcases the evolvement of the EU and the agenda that it stands for.

After visiting this place, I can’t help but to think that the EU is probably under the control of the USA.
Written 1 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Signore_Colomo
Chihuahua, Mexico551 contributions
A must visit while in Brussels
Apr 2023 • Couples
As a citizen from a in-development democracy, it is amazing to see and feel what a union of countries can do. The exhibition is perfectly structured to take you first on what is the EU and how it works, to see an feel the historic development of it. You travel through time to understand how and why the importance of the EU, and how it works for you as a citizen. I really enjoyed every single part of it.
Written 17 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Parlamentarium, Brussels

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