“The most astonishing building in the world.” Such a grand claim is made on the opening page of the Atomium’s web site, so I figured it would be worth a visit when I was on a recent holiday around part of Europe. The Atomium is situated on the Heysel Plateau, which is about 7 kilometres (just under 4.5 miles) north west of Brussels, and nearly at the end of the Metro line 1A – Direction Roi Baudouin. When you arrive at Heysel Metro station it is obvious that it is the right stop, as the walls are tiled with images of the Atomium. However, when you get out of the station the signage is next to non-existent, and it was only a combination of a map and following 3 Japanese tourists that we managed to get there without wasting too much time.
Once you get within a certain distance it is very easy to recognise. The building is in the shape of an atom (by appearance only of course, the size is of an atom magnified approximately 165 billion times), with 9 spheres interconnected by tubes, and stands 335 feet high.
Brief History -------------
The Atomium was designed by Andre Waterkeyn (a chartered engineer) for the International Exhibition of Brussels 1958 – more commonly known as Expo 58. The Expo was held from April 17 to October 19, and more than 42 million visitors attended. This huge figure was no doubt helped by the fact that it was the first major exposition after the war. To put it into perspective, the Millennium Dome received about 6.5 million visitors in the 12 months it was open, meaning the Expo had about 6.5 times the amount of visitors in about half the time.
It is made entirely of steel, clad in aluminium, which means that although it is extremely strong it is also very heavy – each sphere weighs 2400 tons. The aluminium cladding was a great idea in the short term as it provided much better reflection than the steel, giving the Atomium a more impressive appearance (as if it really needed it). I say the short term, because the aluminium has become very lacklustre over the years, due to poor maintenance and the pollution/dirt. In a classic similarity to the Dome, it was only intended to survive the Expo, but that soon changed and they promoted it as a national monument and kept it going. The visitors and the money kept coming (that is where the similarity to the Dome ends) so on it went.
Visitors enter through the main doors at the ground floor, and after paying (adults 6 Euros, children 3 Euros [those under 1 metre 20 free] and seniors 4.5 Euros) the tour through an interesting building with an interesting past begins – well, that is what is supposed to happen, although it doesn’t quite happen like that.
What’s Wrong? ----------------
While walking around, it immediately becomes obvious that the building is in serious need of some work. The entrance and lobby area are ok but not brilliant, a temporary looking pay counter, a few vending machines, toilets, and a couple of period vehicles are all that’s there. But it’s when you get to the start of the tour that you realise what is needed. A high-speed lift takes visitors straight to the top sphere, where you walk round and look out of the window. Literally. Various signs point out landmarks to look at and the audio guide continues dictating the story of the concept and development of the Atomium, but that’s all there is to do. “Ok, fair enough”, I thought, thinking that the observation window was the warm-up for the main exhibition.
From the top sphere you have to return to the lift, which takes visitors down to the sphere in the middle. From here, it is basically a walk down through 3 spheres filled with photos and memorabilia from the Expo 58.
The condition of the overall structure is pretty poor, and renovation has been due for several years. The audio guide admits this, and according to that, the necessary work will begin in the first part of 2003. Aid has finally been stumped up by the federal state of Belgium, in collaboration with the region of Brussels Capital, and the city of Brussels. The amount that has been earmarked was not disclosed, but due to the unusualness of the building and the work that needs doing it is likely to be substantial.
What Needs Doing? --------------
The only thing that the guide let on to what specifically is going to be done is to reinstate the restaurant at the top of the Atomium. This was an original feature but was removed some years ago. Other than that, no precise details were made available, only that renovation was going to be done.
The amount that could be done is huge, but of course, this depends on the available budget. I have come up with a few ideas of my own to modernise the building and improve the exhibition.
- Revolving restaurant. Although this might already be the plan, the restaurant could take its inspiration from the 360-degree restaurant that sits in the CN Tower, in Toronto, Canada. This revolves slowly (about 1 hour per revolution I think) allowing the diners a fantastic view around the city.
- Replace the lift and escalators. At present, the lift and operational escalators appear to be provided by one company, Schindler. The lift used to be the fastest in the world, before being superseded by the CN Tower, so Schindler could be brought in to design a super high-speed lift (with a large amount of transparent areas of course – just to add to the, er, excitement). The majority of the escalators that run in between each sphere need replacing, and again Schindler could be brought in to install modern, high-speed escalators. A great feature would be to make the connecting tubes fully transparent, so you could see the other visitors travelling in the other tubes (not to mention the ground many feet below you).
- Digital Exhibition. The exhibition is merely a collection of strategically placed memorabilia at the moment, with a couple of films thrown in. As is the norm with all new exhibitions, multimedia and use of technology helps to present to visitors and holds attention for longer. So long as it isn’t detrimental to the exhibition then it should be considered. A few off-the-top-of-the-head suggestions include a hologram exhibit of the Atomium being built, touch screen information, a mini-cinema for the films of the Expo, a virtual tour guide in your own language.
Final Thoughts -------------
If the French can make a success out of a metal tower then the Belgians should be able to make a success out of such a unique structure. If it were constructed today it wouldn’t have quite the same relevancy, as atomic issues were just coming to the fore in the fifties. To leave it without sufficient funding, and to have maintained it so poorly over the last 4 decades is a crime really, because with some work and a bit of clever marketing from a clever marketer (self promotion, me?) then the visitor figures to the Atomium, and probably Brussels as well, would rise significantly. It will be interesting to go back after the work has been completed, to see if it has become a world class attraction. I hope they succeed, and that is both why and when I recommend others to go.
More details
Family Friendly
Evaluate this review
How helpful would this review be to someone making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
This product has not yet been reviewed. 
