Chinamuseum

Chinamuseum is a small, low-key museum in Anderlecht, Brussels, housed inside the Scheut Mission House at Chaussée de Ninove 548. It preserves a collection of objects brought back from China by the missionary congregation known as the Missionaries of Scheut, offering visitors a rarely seen angle on Chinese culture — not framed as fine art or tourism, but as everyday life, belief and craftsmanship of historical China.

Where does the collection come from?

The story behind the museum starts in 1862, when Father Theophiel Verbist founded the Missionaries of Scheut congregation with the goal of evangelizing China. Before setting out on the long journey, young missionaries prepared by studying the language and culture of the country they were heading to. Objects from China were sent back to the Scheut house specifically to serve as teaching material, helping future missionaries get at least some familiarity with the place awaiting them. One of these early collections was a set of Chinese coins, which over time grew into the permanent exhibition on display in the museum today.

What is inside?

The exhibition covers objects tied to folklore, art, religion, craft and industry from historical China, mostly dating from the 17th to the 19th century. Many pieces are the result of research carried out by the missionaries themselves, several of whom effectively became scholars and ethnologists studying China from the inside — observing, documenting and collecting what they encountered on the ground. This gives the collection an unusual character: it wasn't assembled with an eye for aesthetics or market value, but reflects a long, direct European presence in Chinese daily life two to three centuries ago.

Why visit?

Chinamuseum suits visitors looking for something different from a standard Asian art museum. Instead of a polished narrative about a great civilization, it offers a practical, personal perspective — that of people who spent years of their lives in China and brought back objects that mattered to them for teaching and religious reasons. It is also one of the few places in Brussels where visitors can learn about the history of Belgian Catholic missions in Asia, a subject usually absent from the city's major museums.

Tucked away in a quiet part of Anderlecht, far from the tourist center of Brussels, the museum has a discreet, almost discovery-like feel — a fitting stop for travelers drawn to the city's lesser-known corners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is Chinamuseum located? The museum is housed in the Scheut Mission House at Chaussée de Ninove 548, in Anderlecht, one of the municipalities of Brussels.

Who assembled the museum's collection? The collection comes from the Missionaries of Scheut, a congregation founded in 1862 by Father Theophiel Verbist for missionary work in China.

From what period do the exhibits date? Most objects date from the 17th to the 19th century and cover folklore, art, religion, craft and industry of historical China.

How did the collection begin? It grew out of items such as a collection of Chinese coins, originally gathered as teaching material for missionaries preparing to travel to China.