Hotels near Atomium

Built for the 1958 Brussels World's Fair and originally intended for demolition, this 102-metre structure represents an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times - nine steel spheres connected by tubes with escalators running through the connecting tunnels. Saved by popular demand, it has become Brussels' most recognisable symbol. Inside, the spheres house exhibitions on the 1958 World's Fair, design, and contemporary art. The top sphere contains an observation deck with panoramic views across Brussels.

Allow 90 minutes minimum. Buy tickets online to avoid queues. Combine with Mini-Europe park next door (scaled models of 350 European monuments) and the nearby Royal Domain of Laeken. The Atomium is particularly photogenic at dusk when the spheres begin to glow. The adjacent Design Museum Brussels opened in 2023 as an offshoot of the Atomium's design collection.