Musée du CPAS de Bruxelles – Museum van het OCMW van Brussel

Hidden within Brussels’ vibrant tapestry lies the Musée du CPAS de Bruxelles – Museum van het OCMW van Brussel. This museum holds a unique story, a story of compassion and care intertwined with art and history. The Musée du CPAS de Bruxelles isn’t your typical museum. It’s born from the heart of Brussels’ public welfare system, the CPAS, which traces its roots back to the late 18th century. Under French rule, Brussels’ various aid organizations were consolidated into the General Council of Hospices and Aid. This act brought together not just resources, but also a surprising collection of art and artifacts. Paintings, sculptures, silver, and even items from a Beguine convent, all became part of the council’s holdings. Initially housed in the former Bogard convent, now the Academy of Fine Arts, the collection moved in 1843 to Saint-Jean Hospital on Boulevard du Jardin Botanique. Some pieces were displayed in the hospital’s chapel, a precursor to the museum we know today. In the early 20th century, the council, later renamed the Public Assistance Commission, decided to share its treasures more widely. An exhibit in 1921 at the Museum of Ancient Art sparked interest. Soon after, under the guidance of Archivist Paul Bonenfant, a small museum took shape within the council’s offices and chapel. Officially opened in 1927, the Musée du CPAS de Bruxelles stands as one of Belgium’s oldest museums. It found its permanent home in 1935 on Rue Haute. The Musée du CPAS de Bruxelles’s collection is a testament to generosity. It wasn’t built through acquisitions, but through donations and legacies to the city’s aid institutions. The oldest piece dates back to the 14th century. The collection is a fascinating mix of paintings, prints, sculptures, metalwork, ceramics, furniture, textiles, a coin and medal collection, and objects reflecting daily life and medical history. At its heart are items from the former charitable institutions of the Ancien Régime, notably Saint-Jean and Saint-Pierre hospitals, and the Beguine convent. Their contributions, like Bernard Van Orley’s polyptych of The Life and Death of the Virgin, commissioned by two Beguines, form the core of the Musée du CPAS de Bruxelles’s unique holdings. It’s a story of art, history, and the enduring spirit of compassion.