The Atomium, the flagship of Expo 58, which it was not originally intended to survive, was renovated with great national enthusiasm between 2004 and 2006 and is now the most visited tourist attraction in the European capital with more than 600,000 visitors a year, as well as being an art center and the international symbol of Brussels and Belgium. In addition to its historical value, the Atomium is also a place of culture. More than half of the museum's tour is dedicated to exhibitions that focus on Belgium and the digital arts.
The building was designed and built for the 1958 Brussels World's Fair, of which it became the flagship and emblem. Under the motto "Work of the world - for a humane world", Expo 58 was intended to be an expression of the democratic will to maintain peace between all nations, the belief in both technological and scientific progress and, ultimately, a new, modern and highly technologized world that would enable people to live a better life. This vision of the peaceful use of atomic energy for scientific purposes therefore determined the design and construction of the Atomium.
Originally, the Atomium was not intended to last beyond the 1958 World's Fair. However, in the early 2000s, the building underwent a comprehensive restoration due to its uniqueness and strong symbolic character.
Atomium, panoramic view over Brussels © Atomium
Since its reopening and the creation of a new tourist and cultural project in 2006, the building, which many unhesitatingly call "the most Belgian of monuments", has not only reclaimed its place as a symbol and international icon, but has also become the most popular attraction in the European capital. The Atomium is not only the most popular attraction in the Belgian capital and offers the most beautiful view of the city of Brussels, it also offers an inner life, a surrealistic tour of surprising areas and spaces that are worth a detour in themselves.
