The BELvue Museum is based in the former Bellevue hotel, in an extension to the Royal Palace of Brussels. It forms part of the vast neoclassical complex built around Place Royale/Koningsplein and the nearby park under the supervision of French architect Barnabé Guimard, between 1776 and 1782. Built at the behest of wine merchant Philippe De Proft, the hotel was intended for a wealthy clientèle. After being put to a variety of uses, the building became a museum for the first time in 1977, holding the furniture and porcelain collections of the Royal Museums of Art and History until 1998. It then underwent a major renovation by architectural firm Art & Build in order to accommodate the King Baudouin Memorial. A large glass roof and an atrium at the heart of the museum were created at that time: a structure made entirely of glass, right down to its illuminated floor, which offers natural light and breathtaking views of the garden and roofs of the Royal Palace. The museum’s permanent exhibition is located on the 1st and 2nd floors. Here you can discover Belgium and its history through seven social themes and a gallery with more than 200 ‘Belgian’ items.