Federal museums may open for free during heatwaves

Federal museums in Brussels could serve as cooling centres during heatwaves, according to federal minister Vanessa Matz (Les Engagés), who has put forward the idea during an inter-federal meeting on dealing with the effects of extreme weather.

Whenever the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) issues a yellow, orange or red heat warning, Matz said the atriums, forums and reception areas of museums should be designated as cooling centres.

Her proposal calls for the network of museums to be included as cooling centres in the national adaptation strategy for heatwaves so that the public has greater access to cool locations.

“Young people under the age of 18, as well as people with disabilities and their carers, already have free access to these museums - and people aged 65 and over benefit from a reduced rate,” Matz said.

Under her proposal, free admission to the permanent collections during heatwaves would be extended to jobseekers and those eligible for various means-tested benefits. In Belgium, one in five households qualifies for this status.

The proposal covers the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium in the centre of Brussels, the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR) on the Mont des Arts, the Museums of Art and History in Cinquantenaire park, the Musical Instrument Museum, the Porte de Hal and the Africa Museum in Tervuren.

Elsewhere in Belgium, authorities are taking similar actions to develop strategies for handling heatwaves.

Namur province has allocated €350,000 to create cooling oases, set to be rolled out across all 38 municipalities.

The aim is to enable municipalities to create greener and cooler spaces in everyday locations such as school playgrounds, public squares, the surroundings of care homes, libraries and bus stops.

Faced with the increasing frequency of heatwaves, Namur intends to provide local authorities with practical, ready-to-use tools, noting that while Namur and Sambreville are the only towns classified as urban, rural municipalities are not spared from heatwaves, droughts or pressure on water resources.

A regional assessment will identify the areas most vulnerable to extreme heat. A toolkit will also be made available to local authorities and will include specifications, technical recommendations, design templates and maintenance advice. Regional and European funding available between 2026 and 2030 will subsequently complement the scheme.

The province’s stated ambition is to offer a practical method, which local authorities can implement directly, to transform public spaces in a sustainable way into cooler, greener places that are better adapted to the climate challenges of the future.