Atomium

The Atomium is a landmark modernist building in Brussels, Belgium, originally constructed as the centrepiece of the 1958 Brussels World's Fair (Expo 58). Designed by the engineer André Waterkeyn and the architects André and Jean Polak as a tribute to scientific progress, as well as to symbolise Belgian engineering skills at the time, it is located on the Heysel/Heizel Plateau in Laeken (northern part of the City of Brussels), where the exhibition took place. It is the city's most popular tourist attraction, and serves as a museum, an art centre and a cultural destination.

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Key facts

Created

1955

Style

surrealism

Architect

André and Jean Polak

Location

Brussels

What to know

The Atomium stands 102 metres (335 ft) tall, making it one of the tallest structures in Belgium. Its nine 18-metre-diameter (59 ft), stainless-steel-clad spheres are connected in the shape of a unit cell that could represent an iron crystal (BCC crystal structure) magnified 165 billion times. Steel tubes connecting the spheres enclose stairs, escalators and a lift (in the central, vertical tube) to allow access to the six visitable spheres, which contain exhibit halls and other public spaces. The top sphere includes a restaurant with a panoramic view of Brussels. The building was completely renovated between 2004 and 2006 by the companies Jacques Delens and BESIX.

The building is located on the Square de l'Atomium/Atomiumsquare, at the intersection of the Boulevard du Centenaire/Eeuwfeestlaan with the Avenue de l'Atomium/Atomiumlaan and the Avenue de Bouchout/Boechoutlaan, and opposite the Centenary Palace of the Brussels Exhibition Centre (Brussels Expo). It is served by Heysel/Heizel metro station on line 6 of the Brussels Metro.

On your route

Driving through France or Belgium? Vaut le Détour places this stop on your itinerary with your real arrival time, a lunch spot open at that hour, and fuel or charging.

Nearby

• château de Laeken, 1.6 km away
• château d'Arenberg, 24.2 km away
• Musée Hergé, 31.6 km away
• abbaye de la Cambre, 8.8 km away
• Jardin botanique de Meise, 3.8 km away
• palais d'Egmont, 6.4 km away
• château de Gaesbeek, 14.9 km away
• musée Art & Histoire, 7.2 km away

Frequently asked questions

What is there to see near Atomium?

Nearby: château de Laeken (1.6 km), château d'Arenberg (24.2 km), Musée Hergé (31.6 km), abbaye de la Cambre (8.8 km). Each one can become a detour on your route.

How do I buy tickets for Atomium?

Tickets for Atomium are sold online (Tiqets ticketing, instant confirmation, tickets on your phone). The booking link is on this page.

When was Atomium created?

Wikidata gives 1955 as its date of creation or foundation.

Facts and key figures: the Wikipedia article “Atomium” (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0), retrieved on 2026-08-05. Opening hours and prices are deliberately left out: they change too fast to be reliable anywhere but the official website.