Skip-the-line available How to get to the Horta Museum
The museum is on rue Américaine in Saint-Gilles, about three minutes' walk from the Janson tram stop and the Trinité bus stop.
Victor Horta built his house and studio on rue Américaine, in the Brussels municipality of Saint-Gilles, and that's where the museum still is. Getting there by tram or bus is straightforward, and both stops are about three minutes' walk away. The part people get wrong is the door: you don't go in through Horta's own front door but through the house next to it. This guide covers the address, public transport, cycling, driving, what to carry, and how early to turn up for your entry time. Everything here comes from the museum's own access information; we haven't added routes or travel times we can't vouch for.
The address, and the right door
The museum's address is 27 rue Américaine, 1060 Saint-Gilles, Brussels. The number matters. Horta's house is No. 25 and his studio is No. 23, but visitors don't enter either of them from the street.
No. 27 is the neighbouring house, built in 1900 by Jules Brunfaut, an architect working at the same time as Horta. In 2016 it was converted into the museum's annex and linked to the house and studio. It now holds the reception, the shop and the temporary exhibitions, and moving those services there freed up historic rooms for visitors.
So when you arrive, look for No. 27. The façade of No. 25 next door is the one to stop and look at, and you're free to photograph it from the street, but the way in is through the annex.
If you're using a map app, search for the street address rather than only the museum's name, and check the house number when you arrive. Nos. 23, 25 and 27 are neighbours on the same street, and only No. 27 is the way in.
By tram or bus
Trams 81, 92 and 97 all stop at Janson, about three minutes on foot from the museum. Bus 54 stops at Trinité, also about three minutes' walk away.
With three tram lines serving one stop, the tram is the most flexible option for most visitors. If the 54 runs closer to where you're staying, use that instead; both stops leave you the same short walk. We've only listed the stops and the walk from them here, so check the route of your line in the Brussels public transport route planner or app before you set off.
Janson or Trinité is the stop to type into your map. The final walk is short enough that it needs no planning, so put any spare margin into the main part of the trip instead.
Coming back, the same stops work in reverse. You leave through the annex at No. 27 after collecting your things from the locker, so allow a few minutes for that before heading for your tram or bus.
By bike or Villo!
There's bike parking at 196 chaussée de Charleroi, about two minutes' walk from the museum. Bring a lock, because bikes can't come inside.
If you're using the Brussels shared bikes, Villo! station 78 is at 370–376 chaussée de Waterloo, about five minutes' walk away. Dock the bike there and walk the rest. As with any shared-bike scheme, check that there are bikes or free docks when you plan your trip.
The museum's rules keep all vehicles out of its spaces. That includes folding bikes, scooters, skateboards and roller skates, so leave them outside before you reach reception rather than expecting to stow them in a locker.
Cycling suits this visit, because you don't need to carry much once you're there. Bags of any size go into a locker anyway, so a cycling backpack or pannier bag simply joins your coat and phone at reception.
By car
There's no museum car park. Parking near the museum means paid street parking in the surrounding streets.
Street parking can't be reserved, so build in time to find a space and walk back. Your entry time is fixed, and arriving late because you were circling the block costs you the priority access that a booking gives you.
If you're driving into Brussels for the day mainly to see the house, it can be simpler to park once wherever you're staying or visiting and finish the trip by tram or bus to Janson or Trinité.
The bag rule is worth remembering if you've driven. Bags of any size go into the museum's lockers, so anything you don't need for the afternoon can stay out of sight in the car instead of being carried around.
How early to arrive
Aim to be at No. 27 a little before your entry time, not on the dot. Everything except your ticket and any proof for a reduced fare goes into a locker before you start: phones, cameras, bags of any size, coats, umbrellas, food and drink.
The lockers are free, lock with a key and are in the reception hall. Using them takes a few minutes, more on a wet day when everyone has a coat and an umbrella. Arriving early means that time comes out of your waiting, not out of your visit.
Don't cut it fine, either. The museum asks visitors to come at the time on their ticket, because the rooms are cramped and each entry time is capped at 15 places. If you miss your slot, priority access is no longer guaranteed, and you may face the same wait as people who came without a booking.
Check the opening pattern when you plan your travel: from 14:00 on weekdays and from 11:00 at weekends, with last admission at 16:45 and the museum closed on Mondays. There's no point aiming for a morning arrival on a Tuesday.
Travel light
Since bags of every size have to be locked away, there's no point carrying much. Your ticket, printed or on your phone, gets you through the scan at the entrance; after that, the phone goes into the locker as well. Leave anything you won't need at your accommodation.
Some things can't come in at all: large or heavy items, musical instruments, selfie sticks, sound devices, and animals other than assistance dogs. If you're on the way to or from a train with luggage, sort out storage elsewhere before you arrive.
Pushchairs have no dedicated parking, but you can leave one in the reception hall if there's room. Inside the house it's stairs all the way, so a carrier is easier for a small baby.
Keep your ticket and any proof for a reduced fare handy. A student card for the student fare, or an identity document for a young person aged 6 to 17, is checked at the entrance, and it's awkward to dig it out of a bag you've just locked away.
Access and mobility
The annex at No. 27 is the only part of the museum accessible to wheelchair users. It covers the reception, the shop and the temporary exhibition space. An accessible toilet, with a baby-changing table, is off the reception hall.
The historic house and studio aren't wheelchair accessible. The route climbs three flights of stairs, 375 steps in all, along narrow corridors, and the museum advises against it for people with reduced mobility or breathing difficulties. Only the stair handrail may be held; walls and fittings can't be leaned on.
If someone in your party won't manage the stairs, plan for that before you book. The annex, and the garden in front of the reception hall when the weather allows, are the parts of the site they can reach.
Under-12s must be with a responsible adult throughout, and the museum doesn't run family activities during individual visits. With small children, plan the trip so they arrive fresh rather than at the end of a long day; the stairs inside come on top of the walk from the stop.
If you're running late
Entry times are fixed, and the museum is clear about what happens if you miss yours. The priority access that comes with a booking is no longer guaranteed, and you're treated in the same way as a visitor without a booked time.
With the tram and bus stops only three minutes from the door, most delays happen before you reach Saint-Gilles, not on the final walk. Build your margin into the longer part of the trip.
The museum doesn't let individual tickets change date, so a missed booking can't be moved to another day. Treat your entry time the way you'd treat a train departure, and you won't go far wrong.
If you realise on the way that you'll be late, keep going rather than writing off the day. The museum's rule is that priority access is no longer guaranteed, not that you'll be turned away; you'll be subject to the same wait as visitors without a booking.
Linking the visit with Horta's other houses
The Horta house is one of four Brussels town houses by Victor Horta listed together by UNESCO in 2000. The other three are Hôtel Tassel, Hôtel Solvay and Hôtel van Eetvelde.
The museum points out that Horta's most productive decade, 1893 to 1903, produced buildings within about five kilometres of his own house, which makes Saint-Gilles a sensible base for a day of Art Nouveau. We book only the Horta Museum, so check how to visit the other houses separately before planning a route between them.
The house and studio date from 1898 to 1901, the middle of that decade. If you'd like to know what you'll be seeing inside before you travel, our guide to the rooms of Victor Horta's house walks through the route floor by floor.
Whatever order you choose for the day, put the Horta Museum's entry time in first and build everything else around it. It's the one appointment on your list that can't move.
Frequently asked
What is the Horta Museum's address?
27 rue Américaine, 1060 Saint-Gilles, Brussels. That's the annex next to Horta's house at No. 25 and his studio at No. 23, and it's where every visitor goes in.
Which tram goes to the Horta Museum?
Trams 81, 92 and 97 stop at Janson, about three minutes' walk from the museum. Bus 54 is the alternative, stopping at Trinité, also about three minutes away. Check your line's route in the Brussels public transport planner before you set off.
Is there parking at the Horta Museum?
There's no museum car park. Paid parking is available in the surrounding streets, so allow time to find a space and walk back before your entry time. If you'd rather not search for a space, the Janson tram stop is about three minutes' walk from the door.
Can I bring my bike or scooter inside?
No. Bikes, folding bikes and scooters aren't allowed in the museum. Use the bike parking at 196 chaussée de Charleroi, two minutes away, or Villo! station 78 on chaussée de Waterloo, five minutes away.
How early should I arrive?
A little before your entry time. You need a few minutes to put your phone, bag, coat and umbrella into a free locker in the reception hall, and if you miss your slot, priority access isn't guaranteed.
Is the Horta Museum wheelchair accessible?
Only the modern annex is. The historic house and studio involve three flights of stairs, 375 steps and narrow corridors, and they aren't accessible to wheelchair users. The annex holds the reception, shop and temporary exhibitions.
Do I go in at No. 25 rue Américaine?
No. No. 25 is Horta's house and No. 23 his studio, but visitors enter through the annex at No. 27 rue Américaine, which holds the reception, the lockers, the shop and the temporary exhibitions.