The Museum of Musical Instruments (MIM)

In front of the Museum of Musical Instruments, on the Hofberg, you will find the “The Whirling Ear” by Alexander Calder. Alexander Calder was an American, modernist visual artist who was part of the avant-garde in Paris in the 1930s. He was a friend of Joan Miró, Marcel Duchamp and Piet Mondriaan, among others. The man had a fascination for mechanics and movement and he designed the work of art for the 1958 World Exhibition. It was later donated to Belgium by the United States. – See http://www.mim.be/en/het-museum

The whirling ear – Calder

The Museum of Musical Instruments (Hofberg 2) moves into the former Old England department store, one of the most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings in Brussels. The beautiful building was designed by the architect Paul Saintenoy in 1898. In this steel and glass construction, the visitor discovers the musical instruments, their history, how they were made and how they work. The museum’s collection of more than 9,000 instruments is one of the richest and most diversified in the world. The restaurant or terrace on the tenth floor offers a magnificent view of Brussels.

Walk further to the Place Royale/Koningsplein.