Situated on an island on the Meuse River, La Boverie is the best fine arts museum in Liege, Belgium. It houses an impressive permanent collection that features some of the most famous artists from the Renaissance period to today, and it’s easily the best museum in Liege for all art lovers.
How to get there, when to visit, and what to expect from this museum are all covered in this detailed visitor’s guide. I’ll also tell you a little bit about the museum’s permanent collection, as well as its frequent temporary exhibitions that are equally impressive. Keep reading to learn more about La Boverie, the fabulous art museum on Outremeuse Island in Liege!
General Information
La Boverie Museum is located in Parc de la Boverie on the Outremeuse island in the heart of Liege. It is easily accessible by public transport from anywhere in the city, and because Liege isn’t a very big city, a 30-minute walk will get you there from most other parts of the city.
The museum has a fairly modest (quantity-wise) permanent collection on the ground floor, which features works by renowned artists like Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso, Magritte, etc. The first floor of the museum is reserved for temporary exhibitions, which are often organized in partnership with the Louvre.
Palais des beaux-arts de Liège houses the fine arts museum. The building was constructed in 1905 for Liege International, and it’s the only building in the city that wasn’t torn down after the end of the world fair.
The History of La Boverie
La Boverie Museum was established in 2016, which isn’t that long ago. The museum building has been around for more than a century, and it’s a work of art in its own right. Palais des Beaux-arts de Liège used to house the collection of Liege’s Musée des Beaux-Arts between 1952 and 1980, and then the Académie Royale des Beaux-arts’s collections from 1970 to 1980.
After that, the building was home to the city’s Museum of Modern Art, which later became known as the MMAC (Musée d’art moderne et d’art contemporain). That museum was in place until 2011 when it merged its collection with other exhibits at the Palais, and the entire establishment became known as ‘musée des Beaux-Arts’ (Museum of Fine Arts).
It’s also worth noting that the entire palace building was renovated in 2016, prior to the opening of the La Boverie museum. This was a breath of fresh air for the entire area, and it really revived this part of Liege that was struggling to remain as relevant as it once was.
Exploring La Boverie
Plan to spend 2-3 hours at the La Boverie Museum, and that’s only if you have no intention of exploring the park in which it’s situated, which you should also consider doing. The recommended time for the museum’s permanent collection is one hour, and about an hour and a half for the museum’s temporary exhibits, which span an area of 2,800 m2. This is also the length of the museum’s guided tours.
The temporary exhibits are sometimes even more impressive than the museum’s permanent exhibits, and I would highly recommend the pricier tickets that grant you access to the entire museum. La Boverie’s permanent collection is impressive but somewhat small, so it’s better to just tour the entire museum since you’re already there. Also, La Boverie collaborates with the Louvre on many of its temporary exhibits, so you will get a chance to see some truly unique pieces of art on the museum’s first floor.
Boverie Park is also a kind of a work of art, with beautiful landscaping, sculptures, murals, and other art installations throughout the grounds. It’s a great place for a casual stroll in Liege, or if you just want to sit down for a little while and take a break from exploring the fine arts museum. The park offers scenic views of the city’s waterfront, and it’s certainly one of the city’s top attractions.
Tours And Opening Hours
La Boverie Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 AM to 6 PM. The museum is closed on Mondays, as well as during certain holidays in Liege.
Tickets for this museum are generally very affordable, and it’s only 5 Euros to tour the museum’s permanent collection. I have to point out that anyone under the age of 26 can tour the museum’s permanent collection for free, and the same goes for anyone in possession of the Belgian Museum Pass.
If you want to tour both the temporary and the permanent exhibition, the tickets will be a little more expensive. They’re currently 12 Euros for adults, and that includes access to all floors of the museum. Again, entrance to the museum is completely free of charge to anyone younger than 26 or in possession of the Museum Pass.
It’s possible to tour the museum on your own, and you can also sign up for guided tours. The guided tours for individual visitors take place every 4th Sunday of the month, and it’s necessary to reserve your spot on the tour in advance by phone call or email.
How to Get to La Boverie
The easiest way of getting to La Boverie museum is just by walking. If you’re on the right bank of the Meuse River, you can just cross one of the bridges to get to the island and be at the museum in about 10 minutes.
It is possible to travel by public transport, but this will save you time only if you’re on the outskirts of the city. Bus lines 26 and 31 stop at Place du Parc, which is only 4-5 minutes away from the museum entrance. It’s worth noting that there is a parking lot near the entrance to Parc de la Boverie, in case you’re with a car in Liege and are planning to drive to the museum.
Liege isn’t a very big city, and it only takes about 25 minutes to walk from the old town to the museum on Outremeuse Island. It’s also a 25-minute walk from Parc de la Chartreuse, which is on the other side of the city.
Courtesy of Wikimedia for the image header.
