New Atomium visitor record set in 2024

The Atomium finished 2024 with a record number of visitors, welcoming 844,427 people to the Brussels landmark over the past year.

The figure for 2024 was only slightly more than in 2023, with Atomium management saying that this indicates stable growth. In almost five years, visitor numbers increased by almost 30%.

According to management, the positive figures are largely due to the recent cultural offerings at the Atomium, which managemtn hope will continue to entice crowds in February with a new installation by the collective Visual System.

The installation Echoes of Distant Lights by Brussels artist Antoine Goldschmidt, which opened in December, was also noted as a draw.

“By collaborating with organisations that want to inspire Brussels youth and recognise young talent, we hope to strengthen links with local communities,” the landmark’s management said.

Expansion works are also planned for the shop in June.

The Atomium was especially popular in 2024 with the international public, and the number of visitors from China in particular increased three-fold compared to the previous year, as tourists from Asia gradually return to the Belgian capital following the coronavirus travel restrictions.

French, Germans and Italians make up the top three categories of international visitors, with notable increases in tourists from the Netherlands and the UK as well.

The Atomium also welcomed 25% more visitors from the United States, and 92% more from India.

Belgian visitors accounted for 26% of the total visitors for the year. Of them, almost half live in Brussels. In 2024, increasing numbers of visitors also came from Flanders and from the Walloon provinces of Liège and Hainaut.