Join Tintin and the Smurfs on a journey through the history of the comic strip.
The Belgian Comic Strip Centre (in French, the “Centre Belge de la Bande Desinée”) will take you on a whirlwind tour of cartoon history and bring you up to date with some quirky facts about famous comics like Astérix and Tintin. Belgian artists were the pioneers of the comic book format and it was they, alongside their French counterparts, who brought comic strips into the mainstream. As well as learning more about comics, you’ll also have the opportunity to snap some shots with life-size models and watch on-screen adaptations.
The permanent exhibitions focus on the history of comics in Europe. A lot of the information is in English, but where there are no translations given you’ll be able to consult one of the booklets provided by the museum. The centre houses a whole host of comics in French, Dutch and English, some of which are rare and out of print, so you could easily spend an afternoon here, if not the whole day.
There is a special Tintin route for fans of the famous travelling sleuth and his exploits. You’ll learn about the history of Tintin as well as Hergé, the cartoonist who invented him. There are plenty of figurines and photo opportunities in the Tintin exhibitions too.
The museum looks mainly at French, Dutch and Belgian comics, but there is a consistent stream of visiting exhibitions which showcase work from other European countries. Check the website for further details.
The former department store that houses the museum is an interesting building in its own right. The design is centred around a winding marble staircase while high glass ceilings flood the space with light. On the ground floor there is a restaurant designed by the famous Belgian architect Victor Horta.
The centre is located in the Brussels business district and you can reach it by metro or car. There is a secure carpark about 150 metres from the museum, on Boulevard Pacheco. The museum is closed on Mondays, and there is a small entrance fee.
