BRUSSELS — The European Parliament will on Monday green-light a €22.7 million overhaul of its visitor center, according to internal documents seen by POLITICO.
The Parlamentarium center, which explains to visitors how the Parliament works and its history, opened in 2011 and is located right next to the Brussels HQ. The plan is to make the center more visible from Place du Luxembourg and fit it with the latest technology.
The renovation will cost more than the €20 million it cost to build the Parlamentarium, which was also upgraded in 2019 and 2021.
The €22.7 million is in addition to a €500 million renovation of parts of the building, including the hemicycle, where all MEPs gather, and follows a decision to scale back EU visitor centers in member states because of rising costs and low turnout.
“The Parlamentarium visitor center is in need of a thorough update,” a Parliament spokesperson told POLITICO. “With around 1,000 people visiting each day on average, the Parlamentarium is one of the most popular attractions in Brussels and a key part of the Parliament’s visitor offer.”
The administration hopes to raise visitor numbers to 420,000 from 350,000 a year, according to the documents.
“The idea is to update both the aging technology (daily technical failures) and the way the exhibition is designed, so it meets the expectations of present-day visitors,” the spokesperson said.
The Parliament vice presidents in charge of the decision, Sabine Verheyen and Pina Picierno, did not reply to requests for comment.
