Frietmuseum Brussels — The Brussels fries museum

The fries museum in Brussels, a lively museum to discover

I attended the inauguration of Frietmuseum Brussels and visited it. You think you know everything about fries, but you don't. You learn an enormous amount during the visit. And what's more, you finish by enjoying some fries. A lively museum to discover.

An inauguration in the heart of Brussels

The fries museum was inaugurated on Monday 28 April 2025, at numbers 26-28 Rue de l'Étuve, just steps from Manneken-Pis and about 200 metres from the Grand-Place. It is located right opposite Choco-Story Brussels, the chocolate museum.

The project is spearheaded by Eddy Van Belle, who was already behind the Frietmuseum in Bruges, opened in 2008. The Brussels museum is part of the Fascineum Experience Museums group, which brings together 15 museums across two continents.

900 m², three floors and 1,645 objects

The tour spans 900 m² across three floors. The visit begins in Peru, the birthplace of the potato, cultivated in the Andes for more than 8,000 years. It then traces its arrival in Europe in the 16th century, initially met with suspicion before becoming an essential staple.

Halfway through, you reach Frietland, an area entirely dedicated to Belgian fries: traditions, folklore, chip shops and anecdotes. The museum notes that a Belgian family consumes an average of 16 kilos of fries per year. Among the 1,645 objects on display are pre-Columbian huacas, vintage deep fryers and a rare edition by the botanist Clusius.

What you learn about authentic Belgian fries

This is where you discover you didn't know it all. The museum explains the rules of Belgian-style fries:

• The potato: it must be flavourful. The most widely used is the Bintje, especially for its taste.
• The thickness: from 8 to 12 mm.
• The fat: Belgian tradition calls for beef tallow. Vegetable oils are used for a vegan version.
• Double frying: a first fry of 6 to 8 minutes at 130–140 °C, which makes the inside tender, followed by about ten minutes of resting, and a second fry of 2 to 3 minutes at 170 °C, which makes the outside crispy.
• The portion: a standard good portion weighs around 300 grams.

The tour also shows what sets Belgian fries apart from their French cousins.

An interactive museum for the whole family

The visit is playful: you can fry fries virtually, climb onto a tractor for the potato harvest, save the potatoes from the Colorado beetle, take a quiz, play fries-themed pinball or sing at the cabaret karaoke. An audio guide, available in 11 languages, is included in the ticket.

Ending with a serving of fries

The visit ends with a cooking demonstration and a tasting of a small cone of fries, cooked in beef tallow or vegetable oil, with a sauce of your choice.

Practical information

The museum is open daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (last entry at 5:00 pm). The visit lasts an average of 1 hr 30 min. Prices including audio guide: €14 for adults (18–65 years), €12 for students (12–26 years) and seniors over 65, €8 for children (3–12 years). A combined ticket with Choco-Story Brussels is available for €28 for adults.

Accessibility: the entrance has 4 steps and the museum is not accessible for electric wheelchairs. The museum is closed on 25 December and 1 January, as well as a few days in early January: check the dates on the official website.

Information checked on the official website on 6 November 2026; please verify before your visit.

Sources

Official website of Frietmuseum Brussels (visit, cooking Belgian fries, history of the potato): https://www.frietmuseum-brussels.be/

Opening hours, rates, address and accessibility: https://www.frietmuseum-brussels.be/informations

Inauguration of 28 April 2025, RTBF: https://www.rtbf.be/article/bruxelles-inaugure-son-musee-de-la-frite-a-deux-pas-de-la-grand-place-11539639

Eddy Van Belle and the Frietmuseum of Bruges, Le Soir: https://www.lesoir.be/671930/article/2025-04-28/belgique-poids-lourd-mondial-de-la-patate

Tour, exhibits and tasting, Horeca Magazine: https://horecamagazine.be/fr/bruxelles-ouvre-son-musee-de-la-frite/