Museum history | Autoworld

More than a museum

Autoworld, "Treasury of the history of the automobile"

Autoworld is a private museum that rents its buildings from the community. Its passionate and experienced staff are committed to making Autoworld a leading location in both the automobile and events sector, that draws its legitimacy from its rich history.

The Mahy collection

Autoworld was built on the extensive and well preserved car collection of the Mahy family, one of the largest in the world. Founder Ghislain Mahy (1907-1999) was a passionate mechanic from a young age and went on to restore dozens of cars throughout his life. Together with his sons Hans and Ivan, he built a collection of about 1000 vehicles, amongst which you can find many Belgian brands such as Minerva, Germain, FN, Imperia, Fondu, Vivinus, Nagant, Belga-Rise and Miesse. When the Autoworld museum was established in 1986, it incorporated 200 automobiles from the Mahy collection.

The opening in 1986

While the passion and collection of the Mahy family forms the heart of the museum, it were the dedication and perseverance of King Albert II, Minister Louis Olivier and Herman De Croo that ensured Autoworld officially came to life in 1986. The majestic esplanade, triumphal arch and colonnades of the Parc du Cinquantenaire proved to be the ideal location for the treasury of the automobile history. The main purpose of Autoworld was and remains to display decades of evolution in technology, comfort, safety and environment.

Thanks to our honorary chairman

Herman De Croo is the founding honorary chairman of our Management Board. For over 35 jaar he has put his vision, drive and hard work at service of the foundation and development of Autoworld. His expert opinions and dedication as chair have been of great value for the operational management of the non-profit organzation.

A new dynamic

Over the last years, and especially since 2010, the museum has ondergone many changes and continuous improvements through the creation of new zones like Sport & Competition (2012), Belgium at Autoworld (2014), the modern and authentic workshops (2015), the Media Room (2017) and the recreation of the first Brussels car show of 1902 (2019).

Every year, a prestigious exposition is organized on the Mezzanine, a happening that always draws a wide audience to Autoworld. Throughout the year many smaller and temporary expositions and car related events take place, greatly appreciated by our loyal visitors.

Belgian Building Agency

Thanks to the exceptional relationship with the Belgian State and the Belgian Building Agency, it has recently been decided to renew a rental agreement for 9 years, on the basis of government decisions and a royal order. This prolongation enables Autoworld to safeguard the future of the museum and to elevate the museum's total experience to a superior level.