PERMANENT EXHIBITION
The MigratieMuseumMigration interviewed a number of Brussels residents, each with their own history and migration background. Numerous stories are illustrated in showcases filled with photos, objects and personal belongings carefully entrusted to us by men, women and young people who have been on a migratory journey.
From Biser from Bulgaria, who works for Roma rights in Brussels and is very active in the LGBTQ community, to New Delhi-born Fariha, who works at ULB on prejudice and migration, the stories illustrate the plurality and diversity of Brussels.
In two large circular structures, the MigratieMuseumMigration presents these 50 showcases.
We therefore hope that this unique and warm presentation will inspire many visitors to share their own stories with family, friends or the museum. The showcases are designed in such a way that they can be easily updated.
More than one in three Brussels residents has a non-Belgian nationality.
More than 75% of registered residents have roots abroad.
In 2022, Brussels had 1,222,637 inhabitants, 783,900 of whom were Belgians.
The top four non-Belgian nationals are French (68,418), followed by Romanians (45,243), Italians (35,154) and Moroccans (33,955).
Together with our digital partner Q-arts, we developed an interactive website that tells the story of the changing demographics in Brussels. The visitor can search at regional or municipal level.
A second touch screen – ‘Brussels. A Lovely Melting-Pot’ – is an interactive visualisation of the demography of Brussels, developed by Karim Douieb. The rich cultural diversity of Karim’s roots defines his identity and it is with great joy and humility that he has donated this work to the museum.
A timeline traces the history of the different waves of migration after the Second World War.
The different waves include
– bilateral agreements signed between Belgium and different countries such as Italy, Spain, Greece, Morocco and Türkiye.
Many young men come to Belgium to work at the invitation of the state and employers. They are called “guest workers” or “gastarbeiders”.
– family reunification
– expatriates, residents of EU countries
– asylum seekers hosted at the Petit Château
On 14 November 1986, a Ghanaian asylum seeker was registered as the first resident of Le Petit Château. Over the years, the centre will welcome more than 80,000 people.
The exhibition « From pain to hope » by the contemporary artist Elia Li Gioi, presents the current topic of migrants arriving in Europe by crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
Elia Li Gioi lives in Sicily. In recent years, he has seen with his own eyes the tragedies in the Mediterranean Sea. As a human being and as an artist, he did not want to remain on the sidelines.
He set to work with the material he found on the shore: life jackets, remains of boats with which people dared to cross the dangerous sea, nails, survival equipment, etc.
In the MMM, he presents an installation. A wreck enters into a dialogue with 7 collages that represent the (dis)hope of humanity. In addition, an immersive experience created by Ocular immerses us in the realities of these journeys.
The museum is dotted with various works of art from the moment you enter. These unique works immerse visitors in a range of media that tell migration stories in their own way.
From the entrance to the second floor, visitors will find works by eight contemporary artists:
- Willem Boel
- Peter Buggenhout
- Ermias Kifleyesus
- Charif Benhelima
- Chems Art
- Elio Germani
- Teresa Argentina Zamora
- Artists Without a Name
Your story in the museum?
Do you think it is important to share your experience? Are you an artist who would like to exhibit your art in a museum? Contact us to communicate your story, in words and objects, or to exhibit your artwork.
YOUR TESTIMONIES
Lucretia
I love my social life here - I can't live without it," she says. Her close friends in Brussels, whom she visits regularly, include people of many different nationalities: Finnish, Italian, Polish, French, Croatian, Russian, German, Vietnamese, Albanian, a few Belgians (Flemish and Walloons) ... and even an Argentinean. Some are couples, often mixed, and many have professional or educational training abroad.
Osman
In those days there was so much work that the bosses would just come and collect people from the café.
Tony
I feel good in Brussels because I find that there is a lot of freedom to achieve my ambitions. Thanks to its small size, Brussels has something magical and soothing about it. I love walking at night to the Sablon, where I find the soul of Brussels, it's my favourite place.
Bachir
I am Belgian and Moroccan. I grew up here and I will never forget that my father sacrificed everything to give his children a better life here.