Van Buuren Museum & GardensVan Buuren Museum & GardensVan Buuren Museum & GardensVan Buuren Museum & Gardens
  • 2025 Anniversary year
  • Privatise
  • Support
  • Book your visit
  • EN
    • NL
    • FR
Toggle offcanvas area
  • Home
  • Who are we
  • The House
  • The Gardens
  • The Collection
  • Visit & contact
Van Buuren Museum & Gardens
Open Menu
  • Home
  • Who are we
  • The House
  • The Gardens
  • The Collection
  • Visit & contact
  • Book your visit
  • 2025 Anniversary year
  • Privatise
  • Support
  • NL
  • FR

A double anniversary:
The 50th Anniversary of the Museum
and the Centennial of Art Deco

In 2025, the van Buuren Museum & Gardens is celebrating a double anniversary: the 50th anniversary of the Museum, dedicated to preserving an exceptional heritage, and the 100th anniversary of the Art Deco movement, a style that, since 1925, has redefined the codes of elegance and innovation. On this occasion, the public will be invited to relive the iconic moments that animated the van Buuren couple’s home through a series of events. At the core of this anniversary, an exhibition of sculptures from the interwar period will be presented in the Museum’s magnificent gardens: “Around Art Deco. Interbellum Sculptures” from April 24 to September 28.

The exhibitions
The events

The International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, held in Paris from April to October 1925, marked the peak of the Art Deco style. Situated between the Esplanade des Invalides and the areas surrounding the Grand and Petit Palais, this exhibition brought together pavilions representing different regions of France and several invited nations, showcasing modern trends in architecture, interior design, furniture, glassware, jewelry, and other decorative arts.

More info
Less info

During their visit to this exhibition, David and Alice van Buuren were deeply influenced by the Art Deco aesthetic on display. This experience led them to reconsider the original plans for their home in Uccle, incorporating the principles and style of Art Deco. They enlisted various designers and artists, including the French duo Dominique, to design and create the interior of their home.

The Van Buuren Museum stands as a testament to this influence, offering visitors an immersion into a world where Art Deco is omnipresent, both in the architecture and in the furniture and works of art. The house is a remarkable example of the application of concepts discovered at the 1925 Exhibition, reflecting the refined taste and avant-garde vision of the van Buuren couple.

Exhbition from 24th april
to 28th september

Around Art Deco.
Interbellum Sculptures

From 24th April to 28th September 2025, the Museum and Gardens van Buuren will unveil an exceptional exhibition: “Around Art Deco. Interbellum Sculptures”. This retrospective highlights the richness and diversity of sculpture from this period, oscillating between avant-garde, neo-classicism, and the emergence of an inimitable Art Deco aesthetic.
More info
Less info

Exhibition from 6th November 2025
to 2nd February 2026

Fashion in the 1920s & 1930s

From November 6, 2025 to February 2, 2026 the van Buuren Museum and Gardens will collaborate with the Fashion & Lace Museum for a unique exhibition dedicated to fashion from the 1920s and 1930s. Through a selection of period clothing and accessories, this exhibition will explore the evolution of the feminine silhouette in the Art Deco era.

More info
Less info

Around Art Deco

Interbellum Sculptures

VANBUUREN38_G
Cantré Collectie Mu.ZEE – Collectie Stad Oostende. Foto Cedric Verhelst
HO.0.1.483_PRO_01
Yvonne Serruys - Douleur 2
De Clerck pant Collectie Mu.ZEE – Collectie Stad Oostende. Foto Cedric Verhelst
Maillol-ile-de-france

Informations

Dates :
from 24th april
to 28th september 2025

Curators :
Eric Hennaut and Manon Magotteaux

Opening Hours:

  • Monday: 1:00 PM – 6:30 PM
  • Tuesday: Closed
  • Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 2:00 PM – 5:30 PM
  • Saturday and Sunday: 1:00 PM – 6:30 PM

An Artistic Dialogue Between Modernity and Tradition

The interwar period marked a turning point in the history of art, particularly in sculpture. Influenced by Cubism and Futurism, the works of this era later integrated an elegance unique to Art Deco, characterized by clean lines, stylized forms, and geometric motifs. The exhibition also emphasizes the crucial role of international exhibitions, such as the 1925 Paris and 1935 Brussels Expositions, in spreading this innovative artistic style.

A Selection of Iconic Artists

Visitors will have the opportunity to admire works by Belgian artists such as Philippe Wolfers, Rik Wouters, Constant Permeke, and Dolf Ledel, alongside international figures like Ossip Zadkine, Aristide Maillol, and the Martel brothers. The sculptures, sourced from public and private collections, embody a balance between figuration and avant-garde while avoiding overly academic approaches.

A Unique Setting for a Journey Through Time

The exhibition will take place in the Museum’s magnificent gardens, an Art Deco setting designed in the 1920s, offering a perfect harmony with the sculptures on display. This dialogue between landscape architecture and sculptural works promises an immersive experience, transporting visitors into the elegance of the era.

Fashion in the 1920s & 1930s

Art, Goût, Beauté, 03 mars 1927.

Informations

Dates :
from 6th November 2025
to 2nd February 2026

A Stylistic Revolution

During the interwar period, fashion underwent a profound transformation. Silhouettes broke free from the constraints of the 19th century, adopting simpler, more geometric lines in harmony with the Art Deco aesthetic. Straight-cut dresses, simple by day and adorned with refined embroidery and luxurious fabrics by night, reflected a new way of life where elegance met modernity. Straight-cut dresses, simple by day and adorned with refined embroidery and luxurious fabrics by night, reflected a new way of life where elegance met modernity.

Designers and Influences

The exhibition will highlight iconic creations from this period, showcasing the perfect blend of innovation and sophistication. From Parisian couture houses to Brussels ateliers, visitors will discover how interwar fashion shaped a timeless style that continues to be admired today.

A Dialogue with the van Buuren Museum & Gardens

In this unique setting, the exhibited pieces will engage in a dialogue with the architecture and décor of the Van Buuren Museum, whose interior was designed in the Art Deco spirit after the Van Buuren couple’s visit to the 1925 Exhibition. A true immersion into an era where art, fashion, and design intertwined with boldness and elegance.

Events surrounding
This Anniversary Year

Lecture by the Brussels Art Deco Society
03.07.25

100 Years Ago: Belgium at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris, 1925

By Prof. Dr. Werner Adriaenssens, curator at the Royal Museums of Art and History and professor at VUB.

As part of the Art Deco at Home festival, discover how Belgium, in the midst of reconstruction after World War I, made its mark at the 1925 Exhibition with iconic figures such as Victor Horta and Philippe Wolfers.

More information
03.07.25
Lecture by the Brussels Art Deco Society
Recital in the gardens with La Monnaie
15.05.25

As part of the Art Deco at Home festival, the Van Buuren Museum & Gardens and La Monnaie invite you to an exceptional musical evening “Éclats Art Déco”

Gwendolyn Blondeel (soprano), Marie-Juliette Ghazarian (mezzo-soprano), and Ouri Bronchti (piano) present a 1-hour-and-15-minute program celebrating the musical diversity of the Art Deco period. Through works by, among others, Poulenc, Satie, and Kurt Weill, they explore the contrasts between French refinement and Berlin cabaret, between elegance and irony, between tradition and modernity.

Tickets
15.05.25
Recital in the gardens with La Monnaie
Les Jardins en Poésie avec Les Midis Poésie
28.06.25

On June 28, the gardens of the Van Buuren Museum will become the stage for a unique poetic gathering, in collaboration with Les Midis de la Poésie. Three distinctive voices from the region – Eva Mancuso, Clarisse Michaux, and Charlie Demoulin – will let their words resonate at the heart of this green haven of nature and history.

Inspired by the house and gardens, their texts, created for the occasion, will weave a dialogue between nature, architecture, and poetry. A sensitive and spontaneous experience, where the place becomes living material for the imagination.

 

Tickets
28.06.25
Les Jardins en Poésie avec Les Midis Poésie
Around Art deco. Interbellum Sculptures
24.04.25
28.09.25

This retrospective explores the richness of sculpture from the interwar period, blending avant-garde, neoclassicism, and Art Deco. Influenced by Cubism and Futurism, these works adopt stylized forms and geometric motifs characteristic of the style.

The exhibition highlights the key role of major international exhibitions in spreading this innovative style. Visitors will discover sculptures by Belgian and international artists, illustrating the balance between figuration and modernity. Presented in the Art Deco gardens of the museum, this exhibition offers a unique immersion in the aesthetic of the 1920s.

 

Book your visit
24.04.25
28.09.25
Around Art deco. Interbellum Sculptures

THE INTERIOR RESTORATION OF THE VAN BUUREN MUSEUM

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Van Buuren Museum, an ambitious restoration program has been launched to preserve and enhance this exceptional heritage. As part of a comprehensive project led by architect Barbara Van der Wee, the work will span several years and is supported by our patrons and partners, including Urban.Brussels and Lombard Odier.

More info
Less info

Preserving the Authenticity of a Unique Ensemble

Since opening to the public in 1975, the Van Buuren house has remained an untouched testament to the Art Deco movement. In 2025, the first phase of restoration will focus on the furniture and decorative elements:

  • Rehabilitation of textiles, woodwork, varnishes, and stained glass
  • Modernization of infrastructure, including electrical systems and technical installations
  • Restoration of key artworks from the collection, including iconic paintings and sculptures

At the same time, the gardens will undergo a replanting and maintenance program to ensure the preservation of this remarkable landscape heritage.

New Spaces for New Missions

In keeping with its cultural mission, the Museum plans to create several spaces dedicated to research and education:

  • A teaching room for school groups and educational activities
  • A dedicated storage space for artworks and archives, ensuring optimal conservation
  • A library and research room for Art Deco specialists

Throughout the restoration process, the Museum will remain open to the public and, whenever possible, will offer restoration workshops, allowing visitors to observe preservation work up close. This unique opportunity provides a behind-the-scenes look at the conservation of a masterpiece of Brussels’ heritage.

  • +32 (0)2 343 48 51
  • Avenue Léo Errera,
 41 - 1180 Brussels
Facebook-f Instagram Pinterest-p
Subscribe to our newsletter
Subscribe to the newsletter

Don’t miss a thing from the van Buuren Museum & Gardens.
Get our latest news, events, and exclusive content straight to your inbox.

    Our sponsors
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • ©2025 Van Buuren Museum & Gardens
    • Design Website : Oilinwater
    Close

    Insert/edit link

    Enter the destination URL

    Or link to existing content

      No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.