Kanal and Centre Pompidou Open Brussels' First Contemporary Art Museum

Kanal and France’s Centre Pompidou have officially unveiled plans for Brussels’ first contemporary and modern art museum, marking a significant milestone for the Belgian capital’s cultural landscape. The announcement, made on September 11, 2025, details the transformation of a 90-year-old modernist Citroën garage into a 40,000-square-meter museum complex, with public opening scheduled for November 2026. The project, led by the KANAL Foundation and supported by the Brussels-Capital Region, aims to bridge social divides in a city known for its diversity and fragmentation.

The museum’s creation follows years of negotiation and planning, beginning in 2018 when the regional government allocated €150 million to launch the renovation. After the federal government declined to provide its own art collection, the KANAL Foundation sought an international partner, ultimately signing a five-year agreement with the Centre Pompidou. This partnership will bring works from the Parisian institution to Brussels, alongside a growing local collection curated by KANAL since 2018.

Yves Goldstein, director of the KANAL Foundation, emphasized the museum’s mission to foster social cohesion through art and culture. "The utopia we have is that in a city as fragmented as Brussels... art and culture can bring people together," Goldstein told Euronews. The museum will not only showcase visual art but also serve as a venue for music, dance, and theater, and will house CIVA, a museum and archive dedicated to Belgian architecture.

Half of the facility will be dedicated to public amenities, including a restaurant, rooftop bar, printshop, library, and children’s playground. The museum’s outreach extends beyond its walls, with ongoing projects in local schools and neighborhoods such as Molenbeek and the North Quarter, aiming to co-create artistic initiatives with community members.

Financially, the project’s cost has risen to an estimated €235 million, with an annual operating budget of €35 million and a staff of around 100. Goldstein acknowledged the region’s financial constraints and noted that the foundation is exploring ways to optimize spending while maintaining the museum’s inclusive ethos.

The full cultural program will be revealed in early 2026, and in the interim, KANAL-Centre Pompidou will participate in international projects, including Belgium’s representation at the 61st Venice Biennale. The museum’s opening is widely seen as a transformative step for Brussels, promising to make contemporary art more accessible and to serve as a catalyst for urban renewal and social engagement.