An international collective of activists from the pride movement is working to establish a groundbreaking museum dedicated to queer art and queer activism in Brussels. 

The Pride Museum aims not only to exhibit art but also to create a space for critical engagement, performances, and events that explore and celebrate the global queer experience. 

However, securing a suitable location remains a significant challenge.

A home for queer art in Brussels

The collective envisions a museum space of 1,000 to 5,000 m² in or near the city centre, showcasing interdisciplinary art forms, including paintings, installations, films, performances, and drag shows. Temporary exhibitions will feature prominent queer artists—”queer icons”, as curator Tutasay describes them—with the possibility of a permanent collection if space permits.

The Pride Museum seeks to be a vibrant meeting place for artists, curators, activists, scientists, and the general public. 

While Belgian and Brussels-based queer narratives will be included, the primary focus will be on the global queer experience. 

“With the global rise of authoritarianism and anti-gender movements, it is crucial to dedicate spaces to collective responses against growing threats to fundamental human rights” says co-initiator Giorgi Tabagari, a former organiser of Tbilisi Pride in Georgia who now resides in Ixelles (Elsene).

The search for a location

One of the top choices for the museum is the recently closed Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art (MIMA) in Molenbeek. 

“We have already started discussions with the people from the MIMA, but we are not the only ones interested in the building”, says Tabagari. 

“We know that the location in Molenbeek will be a challenge, but the canal zone is undergoing rapid development, which makes it an attractive option”.

Jean Samuel N’Sengi, another key figure in the project, notes that the team is also considering other locations, including the European quarter and areas near the Grand Place. 

“We are flexible, but we firmly believe the museum should be in Brussels. This is the capital of Europe, and the city has a long history of being queer-friendly. Moreover, the diversity here is unparalleled”. 

However, the current political situation, with the Brussels government in caretaker mode, has slowed down negotiations.

A political and artistic statement

The Pride Museum is not intended to be merely a celebration of queer aesthetics. “No sunshine and rainbows”, as Tabagari puts it. 

Resistance and resilience will be among the core themes. “Queer art is inherently political, and the Pride Museum will reflect that”, adds Tutasay.

While the museum will be a space for activism, it will also embrace humour, entertainment, and celebration. 

“Drag shows are colourful and entertaining, but they also carry a political message. Humour can be a form of protest, just like a party can be a statement”, Tutasay says. 

“We may have forgotten, but the first Pride march was a protest demonstration”, N’Sengi reminds us.

Digital launch and fundraising

The museum project has been in the making for two years and became more concrete with the establishment of a non-profit organisation last November. This week marks another key step: the launch of the Pride Museum’s digital presence across social media platforms. 

“This will increase our visibility and help accelerate our search for a location”, says Tabagari.

The digital launch is also expected to support fundraising efforts. 

“We are looking for both private donors, including wealthy members of the queer community, and public funding”, he explains.

Despite concerns about the increasing hostility towards LGBTQI content on some platforms, the collective has decided to establish a presence on all major social media channels, from Instagram and TikTok to Bluesky and X. 

“Either you go on all social media platforms, or none”, they state.

A cultural milestone for Brussels

The Pride Museum is set to become a landmark institution in Brussels, reinforcing the city’s reputation as a leader in LGBTQI rights. Belgium was the second country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage more than 20 years ago, and Brussels Pride, which has been celebrated for over 45 years, is now recognised as intangible cultural heritage.

Beyond its exhibitions, the museum will serve as a cultural and activist hub, featuring a café, a shop, and an array of awareness campaigns. 

“It must become a place that strengthens the self-awareness of the queer community”, says Tutasay. 

Through its unique combination of art, activism, and community engagement, the Pride Museum promises to be a beacon of resistance, resilience, and celebration in the heart of Europe.

PRESS RELEASE | “Pride Museum is set to open in Brussels – A Cultural Landmark Dedicated to Queer Resistance, Resilience, and Expression”

Pride Museum is an international queer initiative striving to establish a permanent cultural institution in the heart of Brussels. It is conceived as a living, breathing space that reflects the realities of queer experiences—diverse, complex, beautiful, and powerful.

Rooted in the legacy of resistance and resilience, Pride Museum amplifies silenced voices, reclaims erased histories, and unites queer perspectives that transpire borders. Through a distinctly queer gaze, we seek to reclaim history, celebrate culture, and provide a platform for ideas that shape our future.

“Queer art is inherently political, and so will be the Pride Museum,” said Tutasay, Curator of the Pride Museum. “With the global rise of authoritarianism and anti-gender movements, it is crucial to establish a space for collective responses to the growing threats against fundamental human rights.”

The Pride Museum’s mission is to portray the complexity of queer lives, where art is not simply displayed but experienced, critically explored, and celebrated. By integrating historical narratives with contemporary queer art perspectives, the Museum will honor the past, engage with the present, and inspire the future. 

Exhibitions, performances, and events will challenge conventions while sparking thought-provoking conversations and inspiring new perspectives.

Team behind the initiative

“Pride Museum is led by a diverse group of queers bound together by shared stories of resistance, resilience and pride. Coming from diverse social and cultural backgrounds, many of us have faced oppression because of our identities and expressions. We have experienced immense social pressure, fought battles seen and unseen, and, above all, we have endured.”

“Together, we are channeling our strength and experiences to create something transformative — a living monument to queer resistance and resilience.”

The Pride Museum on social media

• All the links.
• The official website.

The latest on LGBTQIA+ events such as prides in Belgium

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• PinX LGBTQIA+ Film Festival in Ghent and in Antwerp from 29 January to 2 February 2025.
• Antwerp Queer Arts Festival broadens horizon to Bruges and Leuven.
• ANTWERP 2025-2030 | City government agreement supports bid for EuroGames in Antwerp in 2028.
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• Leuven Pride 2024 parade route from railway station to Ferdinand Smoldersplein.
• Liège Pride 2025 on Friday 22, Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 August.
• Antwerp Pride 2025 from Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 August.
• CHARLEROI PRIDE | Three days of inclusivity and festivities.
• Antwerp Queer Arts Festival from 3 to 31 August 2024: programme.
• Queer March Ghent 2024 on Saturday 30 March at Viernulvier.

Exploring Brussels

• REVIEW | ‘A Century of Belgian Comics’ at the Comic(s) Art Museum Brussels by the Belgian Comic Strips Center.
• MUSEUM | House of European History in Brussels.
• Visiting the European Parliament in Brussels.
• RIDE & DINE | Brussels Tram Experience.
• REVIEW | M-Gallery Le Louise in Brussels.
• Inside the Royal Palace of Brussels.
• Brussels’ Atomium.
• REVIEW | Orient-Express exhibition at Train World, Brussels’ railway museum.
• The orange world of Design Museum Brussels.
• AfricaMuseum in Tervuren near Brussels.
• Brussels Planetarium.
• Brussels’ Gare Maritime.
• Brussels’ Pannenhuis Park and L28 Park.
• Brussels’ Senne Park.
• The Hotel. Brussels.
• REVIEW | ‘Royals & Trains’ exhibition at Train World in Brussels.
• Ducal and Imperial Palace of Coudenberg in Brussels.
• MIMA – Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art in Brussels.
• Villa Empain in Brussels.
• Pullman Brussels Centre Midi.
• Autoworld automobile museum in Brussels.
• Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels, Belgium.
• Royal Military Museum, War Heritage Institute, Brussels, Belgium.
• PHOTOS | Train World railway museum in Brussels.
• Josaphat Park and residential Schaerbeek.
• BRUSSELS | BELvue Museum of Belgium.