Brussels’ grand façades often reveal only part of the story. The second ANTE Festival invited visitors beyond them, opening private homes, institutional buildings and other rarely accessible interiors across two October weekends. According to figures supplied by organiser Explore.Brussels, the 2026 edition recorded 8,202 participations and reservations.
Held on 3, 4, 10 and 11 October, the festival focused on the architecture of the ‘long nineteenth century’, spanning 1780 to 1920. Its programme offered a different route into a city whose Art Nouveau landmarks often attract the most attention.
Inside the ANTE Festival
The 28 interiors included 14 additions to the programme. Visitors could discover the Palais d’Egmont and the former palace of the Count of Flanders, alongside more intimate addresses such as the former home of architect Paul Saintenoy. The Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries provided another perspective on the ambition of a period that reshaped Brussels.
Other stops ranged from the City Archives to Forest Prison, showing how the festival moved between domestic life, public institutions and the practical workings of the city. The appeal lay in seeing spaces that are easily passed in the street but much harder to enter.
A growing autumn appointment
Explore.Brussels reports 556 guided interior visits, with 7,463 of the 8,090 available places reserved. A further 24 guided walks attracted 290 participations, while 32 complementary activities accounted for 449. Those figures describe participation and bookings across the programme, rather than a count of individual visitors.
The organiser hopes to establish ANTE as an autumn counterpart to BANAD, its festival devoted to Art Nouveau and Art Deco. The two programmes offer complementary ways to understand the layers of the Belgian capital.
Keep exploring Brussels
This edition has now finished, but its appeal extends beyond a single weekend: Brussels rewards a closer look at the buildings between its headline attractions. Explore.Brussels and its member associations offer further architectural walks and heritage visits. Check their current programmes before planning an outing.
Further information
Official ANTE Festival information
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