Pavilion of Human Passions

Walking through the Cinquantenaire Park you might stumble upon a small rectangular building resembling a small Greek temple. This tempietto is the "Pavilion of the Human Passions": young architect Victor Horta’s first public commission enclosing a monumental relief by sculptor Jef Lambeaux. The relief The Human Passions is an impressive work of art measuring 11 m long and 6 m high, detailing man's pleasures and sufferings in smooth Carrara marble.

Since its completion in 1898, the relief has rarely been accessible to the public. The difficult relationship between the two artists and the relief itself with its sensually writhing nudes, helped shroud the pavilion in mystery and often inflamed the imaginations. Since 2015, however, both the building and the relief have been cleaned and restored.

The interior of the Pavilion of Human Passions is currently only accessible for guided group tours or you can join one of our Sundays tours for individuals on 30.04 / 25.06 / 27.08 / 29.10 / 31.12 from 14:00 tot 15:00.

Exceptional free opening on the weekend of 21.04 to 23.04.23 from 11:00 to 14:00, as part of the residency of the BARRA art movement.

Exceptional and free opening during the nocturne of the Brussels Museums on Thursday 18.05 from 17:00 to 22:00.

Practical information for guided group tours

Price: € 117,50 + € 2,50/ticket (15 participants maximum per group)
Duration: 90 min
Booking: reservations@mrah.be or +32 (0)2 741 73 02
Reservations must be made at least 3 weeks in advance.
Meeting point: reception desk of the Art & History Museum.