Army Museum in Brussels to charge entrance fee from 2016

From 5 January, 2016, the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces, located in Brussels' Parc Cinquantenaire, will charge an entrance fee of maximum €5, with discounts for certain visitors.

The introduction of an admission fee marks the end of a long tradition, as entrance to the Army Museum has been free for more than 100 years. The museum cites budget cuts as the reason behind the new policy.

"Since its opening in 1910, the Army Museum has always been free of charge," the museum said in a press release. “Providing free access to all the rooms, which have been maintained for more than a century, is a rarity within the Belgian museum world."

But funding cuts to Brussels' art and cultural organisations have forced many of the city's museums to look for ways to save money. The Army Museum is also affected by cuts to Belgium's defence budget.

Admission to the Army Museum remains free for some cardholders, such as teachers, and for children under the age of six. The entrance fee is €5 for adults, with discounts for certain age groups. Entrance is also free on the first Wednesday of every month from 13.00.