La Boverie in Liège is the city’s fine arts museum, set in a park between the Meuse and the Dérivation canal. A 1905 palace, a glass wing, a Monet, a Picasso, a Gauguin, and a footbridge that takes you there from the station. Here is what you need to know before you go.
A 1905 palace with a glass wing
The main building was built for the 1905 Liège World’s Fair by the architects Jean-Laurent Hasse and Charles Soubre. Neoclassical style, a central rotunda under a dome: it takes its inspiration from the Petit Trianon at Versailles.
After the fair, the palace stayed with the city. It housed the Museum of Walloon Art, then the Museum of Modern Art from 1950 to 2011. Then came the big project: Rudy Ricciotti and the firm p.HD added an extension of about 1,200 m² in glass and concrete, facing the Dérivation. The museum reopened as La Boverie in May 2016, so it celebrates its 10th birthday this year.
What I like: the extension does not overwhelm the old building. Inside, light pours in and you can see the water.
The collections: from Lambert Lombard to Picasso
Liège’s fine arts collection covers five centuries, from the 16th century to today. You will meet Liège masters such as Lambert Lombard, Gérard de Lairesse and Auguste Donnay, alongside big international names.
Works not to miss
- Ingres, Napoleon as First Consul (1803), an official portrait given to the City of Liège in 1804.
- Claude Monet, The Commercial Dock, Le Havre (1874).
- Constantin Meunier, Casting at Seraing (around 1880), a tribute to the steelworkers.
- James Ensor, Death and the Masks (1897).
- Paul Delvaux, The Entombment (1953).
The most surprising story dates from 30 June 1939. That day in Lucerne, the Nazis auctioned works removed from German museums as “degenerate art”. Liège bought nine of them, including Picasso’s The Soler Family, Gauguin’s The Sorcerer of Hiva Oa and Chagall’s The Blue House. They are part of the collection today.
A tip: the hang changes from time to time, especially during major exhibitions. If you are coming for one particular work, check first that it is on display.
Temporary exhibitions
La Boverie also hosts major temporary exhibitions. They cost extra on top of the collections and draw crowds at weekends.
For its 10th birthday, the museum is showing “L’Impressionnisme, une histoire belge” (Impressionism, a Belgian story), from 9 October 2026 until the end of March 2027. Around 150 works from some twenty Belgian museums: Ensor, Van Rysselberghe, Émile Claus, but also Monet, Renoir, Pissarro and Sisley. Check the ticket price on the museum’s website.
Boverie Park and La Belle Liégeoise footbridge
The museum stands on a peninsula between the Meuse and the Dérivation. The park around it is a real place for a stroll, with tall trees and lawns. Right next door stands Nicolas Schöffer’s Cybernetic Tower.
From Guillemins station, take La Belle Liégeoise footbridge. Opened in 2016 and 294 metres long, it crosses the Meuse and links the station district to the park. The museum is about 700 metres from the station: around ten minutes on foot.
Opening hours, prices and access
- Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm. Ticket desks close at 5.30pm.
- Closed on Mondays (except for special openings during some school holidays), and on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
- Permanent collections: €5 per adult, €3 for seniors (prices checked in 2026).
- Free for under-26s, and for everyone on the first Sunday of the month.
- Address: Parc de la Boverie 3, 4020 Liège.
By bus, several TEC lines run near the park, and many lines serve Guillemins station. The Médiacité car park is about 200 metres away, but it may be closed on Sundays: check before you go. The easiest option is still the train, then the footbridge.
How long to allow and what to do nearby
Allow about 1 hour 30 minutes for the permanent collections. With a major exhibition as well, plan for half a day.
There are several options nearby. Médiacité, the neighbouring shopping centre designed by Ron Arad, is handy if it rains or for a bite to eat. The Meuse embankments are pleasant for a walk towards the city centre. And if you arrive by train, take time to look at Calatrava’s Guillemins station. To plan your whole stay, see also things to do in Liège over a weekend.
Mr Schaka’s practical tips
- Come on the first Sunday of the month for free entry, but expect more people.
- Book major exhibitions online, especially for weekends.
- It is closed on Mondays: aim for Tuesday to Sunday.
- Do the full loop on foot: station, footbridge, park, museum, then back along the embankments.
- Bring a jacket: between the two waterways, the park can get windy.
Frequently asked questions
Is La Boverie free?
The permanent collections are free for under-26s and for everyone on the first Sunday of the month. Otherwise, it costs €5 per adult. Temporary exhibitions are charged separately.
How do I get to La Boverie from Guillemins station?
On foot, over La Belle Liégeoise footbridge. It is about 700 metres, roughly ten minutes.
When is La Boverie closed?
On Mondays, except for special openings, and on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
The book
In The Empty Wall, the second book of Oscar’s Notebook, Liège’s Picasso has vanished from La Boverie.
