In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Winter Wonders closes at 18:00 on 31 December 2026, with no sound and light show at the Grand-Place, and reopens from 12:00 to 22:00 on 1 January. The Atomium is open 10:00 to 16:00 on 31 December and 12:00 to 18:00 on 1 January. The Magritte Museum, the Old Masters and the Musical Instruments Museum close at 15:00 on 31 December and are shut on 1 January. On 31 December 2025 the City held a free show at the Atomium esplanade, with fireworks at midnight and the STIB network free until the start of service. Prices are in euros. Or book a tour: the guided walking tourad is from €25 (GetYourGuide).
⚠️ 1 January. The Magritte Museum, the Old Masters, the Musical Instruments Museum, the Comic Art Museum, the Horta Museum, the City Museum, Choco-Story, the Parlamentarium and the House of European History are closed. The Atomium and Mini-Europe are open.
Winter Wonders on 31 December
The Christmas market runs from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, daily from 12:00 to 22:00, but closes at 18:00 on 24 and 31 December and 3 January, and on those days there is no sound and light show at the Grand-Place. The hours are the organiser’s own. See Brussels Christmas markets 2026 for the sites.
The Atomium show of 31 December 2025
On 31 December 2025, Brussels Major Events and the City of Brussels staged a free show for the new year on the Atomium esplanade, at Heysel. Brussels Major Events and the City announce each year’s plan, and Winter Wonders’ calendar at winterpret.be carries it. The 2025 plan was:
| What | 31 December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Cost | Free |
| Public area opens | 21:00, with a DJ set |
| 3D laser mapping on the Atomium | From 23:40 |
| Fireworks | Midnight |
| Entrances | A, Avenue de l’Impératrice Charlotte; B, Avenue de Miramar; C, Avenue de l’Atomium |
| Rules | Security checks at the entrances; no bags, suitcases or umbrellas; no glass bottles or pyrotechnics |
| Metro | Line 6 to Heysel or Houba-Brugmann from 20:00 |
| Public transport | The whole STIB network free from midnight until the start of service on 1 January |
Houba-Brugmann was the station STIB recommended for people with reduced mobility. A mobility area was at Place de la Belgique. Food trucks and bars were in the zones nearest the Atomium. See the Atomium for the day-time visit.
What is open on 31 December and 1 January
Hours are the operators’ own.
| Sight | 31 December (Thursday) | 1 January (Friday) |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Wonders | 12:00 to 18:00 | 12:00 to 22:00 |
| Atomium | 10:00 to 16:00 | 12:00 to 18:00 |
| Mini-Europe | 10:00 to 17:00 | 10:00 to 18:00 |
| Magritte Museum and Old Masters Museum | Close at 15:00 | Closed |
| Musical Instruments Museum | Closes at 15:00 | Closed |
| Art & History Museum | Closes at 15:00 | Closed |
| Brussels City Museum and GardeRobe MannekenPis | Close at 16:00 | Closed |
| Comic Art Museum | To 17:00 | Closed |
| Parlamentarium and House of European History | Closed | Closed |
| Choco-Story Brussels | Open 10:00 to 18:00 | Closed |
Mini-Europe is open to 3 January and closed from 4 January to 12 March 2027. The Atomium is closed from 18 January to 5 February. Choco-Story is closed from 4 to 15 January. What to book before you go to Brussels has the weekly hours.
A table for the night
Visit.brussels lists the night’s concerts and shows, festive dinners and galas, and parties and nightlife on its New Year’s Eve page. Where to eat in Brussels lists the restaurants and the days they close.
The night itself
Christmas lights and a tree in front of the town hall of Ixelles. Photo: Benoît Prieur, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
The sun sets at about 16:45 on 31 December and rises at about 08:45 on 1 January, times calculated for Brussels, and the Uccle weather normals give December a mean daily maximum of 6.6 °C and a minimum of 2.1 °C. The Foreign Office says theft and pickpocketing are common in crowded areas, and the Government of Canada names the Grand-Place. Keep bags closed in a crowd. The best time to visit Brussels has the weather by month.
Plan the rest
Where to stay in Brussels compares the areas, and hotels near the Grand-Place lists the ones beside the market. Hotels owe a city tax of €5 per room per night. 3 days in Brussels fits the sights round the winter hours.
Common questions
What time does the Brussels Christmas market close on New Year's Eve?
At 18:00 on 31 December 2026, and there is no sound and light show at the Grand-Place that day. Winter Wonders is open from 12:00 to 22:00 on 1 January and closes at 18:00 on its last day, 3 January 2027.
Where were the Brussels fireworks on New Year's Eve 2025?
On the Atomium esplanade, free, with a DJ set from 21:00, a 3D laser mapping of the Atomium from 23:40 and fireworks at midnight, presented by Brussels Major Events and the City of Brussels. Bags, suitcases and umbrellas were not allowed.
Is public transport free in Brussels on New Year's Eve?
On 31 December 2025 the whole STIB network was free from midnight until the start of service on 1 January. Metro line 6 to Heysel or Houba-Brugmann ran from 20:00 for the show.
Is the Atomium open on New Year's Eve?
Yes, from 10:00 to 16:00 on 31 December, and from 12:00 to 18:00 on 1 January. It closes for annual maintenance from 18 January to 5 February 2027.
Which museums are open on 1 January in Brussels?
The Atomium (from 12:00) and Mini-Europe (10:00 to 18:00) are open. The Magritte Museum, the Old Masters Museum, the Musical Instruments Museum, the Comic Art Museum, the Horta Museum, the City Museum and Choco-Story are closed.
Where can I find New Year's Eve concerts and dinners in Brussels?
Visit.brussels lists concerts and shows, festive dinners and galas, and parties and nightlife for New Year's Eve on its agenda page.
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