The Chocolate Museum in Brussels

Museum of the Month is a series where I share my experiences of visiting unique and often strange museums from around the world. My aim is to rebuff the notion that museums are boring. Join me on my quest!

Chocolate Museum in Brussels

The advisory warning, ‘Death by chocolate’ should be attached to anyone thinking of going to Belgium. If you identify as a chocoholic, it might be in your best interest to avoid going to Belgium altogether. I’m serious.

You don’t have to be a chocolate buff to know that Belgium is famous for the stuff. They invented the praline in 1912 and Brussels is said to have more high-end chocolatiers per square mile than any other city in the world. 

It’s a nation of chocolate lovers. From Spa treatments offering chocolate baths, to body paint used for, erm, cough, amorous activities… they don’t just just eat it, they come up with all kinds of creative ways to indulge it.

chocolate shop in Brussels, Belgium

Perhaps it is just as well that I don’t go ga-ga for chocolate. I’m more of a savoury person. Give me a main course over dessert any day of the week.

However, this doesn’t mean I have immunity to coco when it’s in front of me. On the contrary, I certainly have a weakness for it at times.

On more than one occasion I’ve bought chocolates to give away as presents, but instead of wrapping them up and saving them like any decent human being would do, I devour them all in a matter of minutes only days before Christmas in a shameless display of gluttony.

Hold on, before you start judging me, I always rush back out to the shops to rectify my sin. While I might get the chocolate, and they always receive better presents the second time around. That’s what guilt does to me.

Despite some low ebbs of self-control in the past, miraculously I managed to visit Brussels without being too greedy. I even managed a visit to the Chocolate Museum without going over-board and trying to have a bite out of every bit of chocolate that I saw.

Inside the Chocolate Museum

As I walked into the museum, and paid the entrance fee, the two girls who took my payment didn’t even bother breaking away from their conversation to serve me. Not a great first impression.

I had to ask if they had any leaflets in English and one of the girls pointed in front of her to a pile of folded in half A4-sheets of paper that had about as much information on as the writing above the door of the museum. I wanted to learn something, not waste paper.

Beforehand, I also read that upon entry visitors are provided a free sample of warm melted chocolate,  but that never came my way. I was going to ask but I glanced back at the rude girls and decided not to bother.

Hopefully I’d just visited on an ‘off’ day. I’d like to think I did because there is something potentially charming about this museum but it needs work.

Going around the museum I felt underwhelmed. If my expectations was for Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, the reality was nowhere near in sight.

Some of the displays looked like they hadn’t been changed in decades and some of the chocolate on display had more cracks in it than an over-baked brownie. However, not all was at a loss. Things were about to pick up. I had saved the best for last: the demonstration.

Watching the demonstrations on how to make chocolate

Brussel's Chocolate Museum

At the back of the bottom floor of the museum is the kitchen of a chocolatier. This is where the chocolate demonstration takes place.

I huddled in with a group of other people and the chocolatier greeted us with a huge smile that immediately washed away any regret I felt about visiting. After showing off his ability to speak in several languages, the group settled on English and French.

He began by showing us a variety of different chocolates, and then showed us the process of how he goes about making them using a double-boiler for melting the chocolate, and a variety of plastic moulds. He had oodles of personality, all I needed to see now were a few umpa lumpas marching in carrying baskets of coco dust and my dream would have turned into a reality.

Chocolate Museum in Brussels

Isn’t he just the reincarnation of Willy Wonka?

The chocolate maker also revealed the secret of making seashell chocolates and pralines, as well as using leaves to create, you guessed it, leaf-shaped chocolates. The demonstration lasted for about 15-minutes and we were offered chocolates to try throughout.

Chocolate Belgium, Brussels

Although I may have entered the museum somewhat disappointed, I left feeling like the kid who raided the sweetie shop and got away with it.

Additional Information

How to get there: Rue de la Tete d’Or 9-11 (round the corner from Grand Place)
Opening times:
Tue – Sun 10.00 – 16.30
Entrance fee:
5 Euros
Website
: https://choco-story-brussels.be

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Hi, I'm Shing

Welcome to The Culture Map, a place where I share my travel guides, adventurous tales, and capture the inspiring diversity of our world.

12 Responses

  1. I’m like you… I don’t go bananas for chocolate. Much more of a full dinner type gal. But I do enjoy some dark chocolate from time to time. I would totally have been disappointed by not being transported into Willy Wonka’s world. All candy/chocolate factories should be like that. Mandatory.

    1. Mmmmmm a full dinner cooked by mama. I can’t wait for Xmas now! Yeh, it was my fault, what can compete with Willy Wonka’s world? NOTHING!!

  2. I didn’t visit this museum when I was in Brussels, it simply didn’t appeal to me that much. I like dark chocolate every now and than especially with coffee (I think it’s a perfect combo), but I don’t go too crazy for it.

    1. If a large part of my blog wasn’t aimed at visiting unusual museums then I probably would have given this a miss too Franca! As you can see from my write up, it wasn’t a glowing review ! Ooou I don’t drink coffee but dark chocolate is the only way I roll! 🙂

  3. Hi! I found your website on Ashley Abroad blog. I’ve started my blog when I studied abroad in Estonia and now I’ve been trying to re-start with it 🙂

    I really liked the content of your blog and your pictures! Regarding this post, I’m the typical chocolate lover and unfortunately I’ve never went to a chocolate factory! I guess Belgium would be heaven for me 🙂

    1. Hey Betty, it’s great you found me! 🙂 Glad you’ve restarted your blog, I’m going to swing on by now!

      Ooou well if you’re a chocolate lover, you better be careful in Belgium, that place could ruin you haha!

  4. Isn’t is amazing how first impressions often set the tone for entire experience – i.e. those 2 rude girls. The original Willy Wonka is an alltime favorite nostalgia movie escape for me. Ironically, being that I’m an infrequent sweets eater, going with Mr Wonka himself would have been more my interest than the chocolate. For reals! So, for you personally, what is your decided difference in preferring dark chocolate over light chocolate, Shing? I enjoyed this post as always 🙂

    1. The original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is one of my all time favourite too Mike! Wizard of Oz as well! Hmmmm my preference for dark or light chocolate… I like the sharper, slightly more bitter taste mmmmmm 🙂

  5. I would not have been able to resist a chocolate museum in Belgium either, or anywhere for that matter. Great that you got to sample some chocolate and see some demos. It’s incredible how a simple smile can have such positive effects on one’s mood.

    1. Smiles are sooo infectious! I started off disliking the museum in most areas, but then the demonstration came along with a charismatic and happy chocolatier and suddenly my mood picked up! As the say… a smile goes a long way! 😀

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