Heritage Days 2025
◇ 20 September › 21 September 2025
The Boghossian Foundation participates in the 34th edition of the Brussels Heritage Days with guided tours that will make you discover the fascinating history of the Barons Empain and the Villa Empain, a masterpiece of Art Deco architecture.
In 1930, Baron Louis Empain commissioned Swiss architect Michel Polak to design a mansion in the prestigious neighbourhood of Avenue des Nations (now Avenue Franklin Roosevelt). He suggested that Polak create something in the style of Otto Wagner, Adolphe Loos and Joseph Hoffmann. The result is a true Art Deco gem, adorned with rare and precious materials. The remarkably restored façade features polished Baveno granite, refined ironwork and brass corners covered in gold leaf.
While the Villa Empain’s grand interiors are exceptionally not accessible, the visit includes a discovery of the garden and monumental swimming pool, as well as an immersion into the 1930s through the exhibition Echoes of Art Deco. In addition to original plans and archival photographs of the Villa, the exhibition showcases unique collections of ceramics, stained glass, posters, furniture, and refined objects, along with precious dresses on loan from the Fashion & Lace Museum.
Heritage Days is an unmissable event to discover the wealth of buildings, institutions and real estate in the City of Brussels and the Brussels Region. Each year, a theme is chosen to discover Brussels from a different perspective. In 2025, we celebrate Art Deco on the occasion of the centenary of this iconic movement, which was born in 1925. In addition to the places and activities linked to the theme, de Heritage Days also highlights the capital’s must-see places, as well as all the Brussels museums and their collections.
