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Celebrate Toots Thielemans’ 100th birthday together with KBR and the Museum of Musical Instruments (MIM)!
From ketje to jazz icon
On 29 April 2022, Toots Thielemans would have turned 100 years old. The ketje from the Marolles district of Brussels was an excellent guitarist and whistler. He ultimately became one of the best harmonica players who ever lived. Toots filled concert halls all over the world with his virtuosic playing, but he always remained a Belgian at heart.
KBR and the Musical Instruments Museum pay tribute to Toots on the occasion of his 100th birthday in his home city of Brussels. From 22 April to 31 August 2022, you can visit KBR to view an experiential exhibition in which sound and music play the leading role.
Buy your ticket
Music and images never exhibited before
After Toots’ death, the Toots Thielemans Foundation donated his personal archive to KBR. His instruments were given a new home in the Musical Instruments Museum. Right now, the two collections are being brought back together and we will be exhibiting them to the public for the very first time.
So why not come along and discover an impressive collection of musical instruments, sound recordings, personal correspondence, sheet music and musical and visual material never published before? Once you’ve visited this exhibition, you will have learned more about the man behind the legend, the man of Brussels, the virtuoso.
But “Toots 100. The Sound of a Belgian Legend” goes one step further – you will be able to fully immerse yourself in the sound of Toots. Get ready to experience an unforgettable trip into the world of jazz.
An all-round musician
International stars like Quincy Jones, Peggy Lee and Sting were lining up to work with Toots, who was quick to master new genres, styles of playing and languages. Toots Thielemans not only played manouche, swing, bebop, easy listening, cool and Latin jazz, but also made his mark on the film and advertising world.
At the exhibition, you will discover the instruments Toots played, the people he worked with on stage and the significant influence his sound still has on other musicians today. Don’t miss this opportunity to dive into the world of Toots!
Palace of Charles of Lorraine
The rooms of the Palace of Charles of Lorraine, an 18th-century jewel situated in the heart of Brussels, will form the backdrop to this experiential exhibition. Nowadays, the palace is part of the building in which KBR is located, but the facade and the apartments have been preserved in their original grandeur.
Practical information
Opening times
Open from 22 April until 31 August 2022.
- Open from Tuesday until Sunday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
- Closed on Mondays and certain bank holidays (1 May, 26 May, 5 June, 15 August)
Tickets and prices
- Standard: € 15
- Concessions: € 11
- 65+, students, groups > 15, Cultuursmakers, Davidsfonds, on presentation of your ticket for the MIM
- PASS musées: € 4
- Free:
- <18 years, Belgian teachers (Lerarenkaart/carte PROF), visitors with a disability (+ 1 accompanying adult), jobseekers, ICOM card, Belspo card
Location & accessibility
KBR – Mont des Arts 28, 1000 Brussels.
- Both the building and the exhibition space are accessible for visitors with disabilities.
- Holders of a disabled parking permit can find parking spaces in front of the building, at Boulevard de l’Empereur 4.
- KBR is accessible by public transport as well as by car and bicycle.
- Use the SNCB code on your online ticket to buy a Discovery Ticket and travel to Brussels-Central and back with a 50% discount.
Group offer
Enjoying an experience together makes the occasion doubly pleasurable! So why not come along with your club, family or friends to the “Toots 100. The Sound of a Belgian Legend” exhibition? Take a guided tour or follow an interactive lecture before setting out together to discover the sound of Toots. For groups, the exhibition will remain open one month longer in September.
Discover the offer
VIP package
The doors close to the public on 31 August, but exclusively for companies, we stay open one month longer. Discover the exhibition “Toots 100. The Sound of a Belgian Legend” in September during a private visit.
More information
Toots Year 2022
The exhibition is part of Toots Year 2022, an initiative of The Legacy of Toots Thielemans Association in collaboration with the Private Toots Thielemans Foundation and visit.brussels. Discover the complete programme and keep an eye on the agenda of KBR.
To the agenda
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