RECOMMENDED BY LARISA DOCTOROW

This house is one of the masterpieces of Art Nouveau in Brussels.

Standing at the crossroads of Belgian and French Art Nouveau, it represents a symbolic and dreamlike world. 

Built on the corner of Avenue Brugmann and Avenue de Jonction in Saint-Gilles, the Hannon House was commissioned by the Hannon couple, whose name it bears, Marie and Eduard, from their architect friend Jules Brunfaut in 1902. The house combines Marie’s taste for botany and Eduard’s taste for poetry, Greek antiquity, and technology. The interior is furnished entirely by Emile Galle, the French Master of Art Nouveau and features contemporary works by James Ensor, Victor Rousseau and Emile Claus. The frescoes in the stairwell and reception room are by Paul Baudouin. 

After several restoration campaigns, the building is now open to the public as a museum dedicated to Belgian and international Art Nouveau style. 

This month the new museum celebrates the first anniversary of its opening. For the weekend of June 1st and June 2nd, the directorship of the museum has planned a series of interesting activities. 

On Saturday, June 1st, three themed guided tours are scheduled. The first tour will focus on the sense of smell, allowing participants to discover the flowers and scents that perfumed the house in 1904. The second tour will be tactile, exploring the various materials that bring the place to life and the challenges involved in restoring them. Lastly, the visual tour will emphasize the central role of light in the skillfully staged universe of perfumed materials. 

Reservations are required on the museum’s website. Each guided tour lasts about one hour, after which visitors can continue to visit the house individually if they wish. 

On Sunday, 2 June, the musicality of the violin will join the symbolism and poetry of the house. Starting at 11.30 a.m. a violinist will give a short performance of approximately 15 minutes every hour. Visitors can discover the house accompanied by music. 

Practical information

Avenue de la Jonction, 1

1060 Saint-Gilles

visits@maisonhannon.be

Opening hours: 

Monday-Wednesday closed.     
Thursday: 13.00- 18.00. 

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: 10.00-18.00. 

Since opening in June 2022, the Maison Hannon has welcomed over 60,000 visitors. The directorship of the museum was awestruck by such unconditional enthusiasm and support from the public. 

The Maison Hannon became a thriving hub of art, culture, and heritage in Belgium.

Image from WikimediaCommons