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About Choco-Story Brussels | Chocolate history and hands-on workshops

Why is Choco-Story Brussels a must visit attraction?

Imagine holding a cocoa pod while learning how it traveled from the jungles of Central America to Belgium’s chocolate tables. Ancient Mayan and Aztec pottery sits alongside 19th-century chocolate molds, letting you see, touch, and smell chocolate’s journey through history.

You don’t just watch, you can grind beans, explore roasting and conching, and see chocolatiers craft pralines live. Optional workshops let you make your own chocolates to take home, turning your visit into a personal, hands-on experience.

In 60 to 90 minutes, you can wander galleries, enjoy tastings, watch demos, and join workshops without rushing. Families and chocolate lovers leave with full bellies and big smiles.

Brief history of Choco-Story Brussels

  • Sweet beginnings (1998): Gabrielle Draps launched the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate to honor her husband Joseph “Jo” Draps, founder of Godiva Chocolatier.
  • Chocolate home (1697 Building): The museum first opened in a historic 1697 building near Grand Place, with three floors full of exhibits and live demos.
  • Next generation takes over (2007): Daughter Peggy van Lierde stepped in, keeping the family’s third-generation Belgian chocolate craft alive and thriving.
  • A new name (2014): Partnering with the Van Belle family of Choco-Story Bruges, the museum became Choco-Story Brussels, connecting two chocolate hotspots.
  • Renovation (2019): Relocated to a spacious 1,800 m² venue at Rue de l'Étuve 41 near Manneken Pis, with expanded galleries and hands-on experiences.
  • Chocolate legacy lives on (Present): Now visitors enjoy praline demos, tastings, and workshops while celebrating over 5,000 years of cocoa history right in Brussels.

Who built Choco-Story Brussels?

Choco-Story Brussels was founded in 1998 by Gabrielle Draps, a third-generation Belgian chocolate artisan and wife of Godiva founder Joseph “Jo” Draps. She created the museum—originally the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate—to celebrate chocolate’s rich 5,000-year history.

Initially housed in a 1697 building near Grand Place, the museum offered exhibits, tastings, and workshops across three floors. Management passed to her daughter Peggy van Lierde in 2007, and after partnering with the Van Belle family of Choco-Story Bruges, it was rebranded in 2014 as Choco-Story Brussels.

A 2019 move to a larger 1,800 m² venue at Rue de l'Étuve 41 near Manneken Pis expanded galleries, live demonstration spaces, interactive workshops, and tasting stations, allowing visitors to explore cocoa’s journey from ancient Mesoamerica to modern Belgian pralines.

Architecture of Choco-Story Brussels

  • Original building: Choco-Story started in the historic De Valck house near Grand Place, a three-story 17th-century building with preserved wooden beams and classic Belgian character.
  • Modern venue: The museum relocated to a 1,800 m² space at Rue de l'Étuve, designed for immersive exhibits, open-plan floors, and proximity to the Manneken Pis statue.
  • Exhibition layout design: Galleries flow from ancient Mesoamerican cocoa origins to modern Belgian pralines, using glass partitions and ambient lighting to guide visitors chronologically through chocolate history.
  • Workshop and demo areas: Ground-floor kitchen-theater features stainless counters, live-viewing platforms, and temperature-controlled zones for praline demonstrations and interactive chocolate-making experiences.
  • Thematic decor elements: Walls feature murals of cocoa farms, gilded chocolate mold replicas, and plantation-style dioramas, blending education with touches of Belgian Art Nouveau aesthetics.

Frequently asked questions about Choco-Story Brussels

Most visitors spend 60 to 90 minutes exploring the museum. If you include the chocolate workshop, the visit usually takes around 1.5 to 2 hours.