Experience

Pride Museum pop-up draws 4,000 visitors and strengthens case for permanent queer space in Brussels

Posted by Timothy on

From 15 June to 15 July 2025, the former Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art (MIMA) building on the Quai de Hainaut / Henegouwkaai in St. John’s Molenbeek (Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Sint-Jans-Molenbeek) in Brussels served as the temporary home of the Pride Museum, a new cultural initiative dedicated to queer history and expression. 

The pop-up attracted around 4,000 visitors in just four weeks, despite the fact that organisers had only three weeks to prepare the site before opening, BRUZZ reports.

Preview of a future queer museum

The Pride Museum pop-up offered a multidisciplinary programme featuring performances, talks, workshops, DJ sets, and the exhibition ‘What About Queer?’. 

Some thirty artists and collectives from Brussels and beyond took part. The event provided a first public look at the organisers’ long-term ambition: to create a permanent queer museum in the Belgian capital. The museum would focus on the richness and diversity of queer history, activism, and cultural production in Belgium and internationally.

Public response confirms demand

According to co-founder Giorgi Tabagari, the large turnout and positive feedback from both visitors and participants confirmed the need for a dedicated queer museum in Brussels. 

The audience included local residents, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, tourists, and visiting groups. The organisers see this level of engagement as evidence that such a museum would be both culturally relevant and publicly supported.

Permanent location still under discussion

Although the Pride Museum currently lacks a permanent home, the former MIMA building is seen as a strong candidate. 

Discussions with the building’s owners are ongoing, while other possible sites in Brussels are also being considered. 

The team is now compiling the results of the pop-up edition to present to potential partners and funders.

Broader European context

The Brussels Pride Museum initiative follows in the footsteps of similar efforts elsewhere in Europe, such as the Schwules Museum in Berlin and the Queer Britain Museum / British National LGBTQ+ Museum in London. 

In Belgium, the project has received support from a range of queer activists, cultural professionals, and grassroots organisations. It aims not only to preserve queer history but also to provide space for contemporary queer voices and cultural engagement.

Events planned for autumn 2025

The Pride Museum will resume programming in autumn 2025, with several new events already in development. While the search for a permanent venue continues, the organisers remain committed to keeping the project alive and visible through temporary events and collaborations.

Exploring Brussels

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