The house was designed by architects Léon Emmanuel Govaerts and Alexis Van Vaerenbergh, while the interior decor was overseen by artists like Maurice Depauw.
The Labyrinth in the garden includes a 'Song of the Birds' feature designed to attract specific avian species.
The museum holds a permanent collection of over 32,000 items, ranging from paintings to sculptures and decorative arts.
The Van Buurens were significant patrons of the Belgian Surrealist movement, which is reflected in specific curated areas of the home.
The garden layout was intentionally designed to showcase different themes, shifting from a rose garden to a picturesque landscape designed to reflect the changing seasons.
The Museum David and Alice van Buuren is an impeccably preserved Art Deco villa located in the residential Uccle district of Brussels. Originally built in the late 1920s, the house served as the private residence of David van Buuren, a Dutch banker, and his wife Alice, who curated an extensive collection of fine art and antiques. The interior features original furniture, stained-glass windows, and carpets designed by leading artists of the Art Deco movement. A major highlight of the property is the 'Garden of the Heart,' a two-hectare park designed in the 1920s that transitions through distinct aesthetic phases, including a geometric garden and a labyrinth. The museum displays works by masters such as Bruegel, Ensor, and Van Gogh. The villa remains a time capsule of elite 1930s European domestic life. Guests move through rooms that retain their original layout and artistic integrity.
The view of the geometric garden from the villa’s large rear terrace windows.
Allow sufficient time to explore the expansive gardens, as they are as significant as the house interior.
Check the museum's exhibition calendar before visiting, as they frequently host temporary contemporary art installations that contrast with the permanent collection.
Do not attempt to visit without checking the current exhibition schedule, as the museum occasionally closes for private events or exhibition installations.
Closed on Tuesdays.
Visitors are typically required to wear shoe covers provided at the entrance to protect the original parquet floors and antique rugs.