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About the MAS

The MAS is an international and pioneering museum about the global connectedness between people and collections from different cultures and environments. With a river of tales, viewed from multiple perspectives, we engage everyone to be curious about the present, past and future of Antwerp and the world.

The diverse collection ranges from history, art and culture of the port city of Antwerp, through international trade and shipping to art and culture in Europe, Africa, America, Asia and Oceania. The iconic MAS building is the place where the city and the world meet.  And there is room for dialogue and experimentation.

The MAS in figures

  • 10 storeys high
  • 5700 m² of exhibition space
  • 650 000 visitors a year
  • 140 volunteers
  • 600 000 alternating museum pieces

Subsidizing government

The Flemish Government annually provides structural subsidies to the MAS. 

Our staff

The MAS colleagues

The MAS has many employees who do their utmost every day to guarantee visitors a safe and relaxed museum visit. Which departments support the museum operation?

An iconic building

A modern-day warehouse

In this impressive warehouse, all the museum rooms are stacked like boxes. Follow the Boulevard with its metres-high glass windows as it spirals upwards, and enjoy an incredible view of the city from every level.

Boulevard and panorama

The Boulevard spirals upwards through nine floors like a glass spiral. It treats you to a magnificent view of the city, getting higher and higher, changing constantly. The rooftop panorama offers a 360-degree view of the city, the harbor, and the world.

A facade full of hands

The legend of Brabo and Antigoon makes the hand the symbol of Antwerp. But the little hands on the facade are also a reminder of the many patrons who helped build the MAS.

Saluting Admiral Couple

At the request of the city of Antwerp, the Antwerp artist Guillaume Bijl created the artwork Saluting Admiral Couple for the fifth anniversary of the MAS. The work gives the monumental building a playful and surprising touch.

The site

laag gebouw in rode steen

Pavilions

In the shadow of the MAS, you'll find several publicly accessible pavilions that you can visit. There you will discover more stories about Antwerp today.

Food & beverages

The MAS is not only a museum, it's also a unique location for a picnic, it offers a cosy museum café at the foot of the MAS as well as a gourmet restaurant on the top floor.

mozaïek afbeelding van een doodskop

Museum square

Dead Skull

On the square in front of the MAS, you literally walk around on world-quality art. A huge mosaic by one of Antwerp’s most fascinating living artists, Luc Tuymans, occupies the Hanzestedenplaats.

The Dry Docks site

Vessel collection

Just beyond the MAS lies the dry dock site: nine non active dry docks, former workshops for ship repairers, a pump house which is now a protected monument ... It now houses the MAS vessel collection.

With the support of ...

Subsidizing government

MAS receives annual structural subsidies from the Flemish Government. Without this support, our work would not be possible. 

Founders

Umicore, KBC Bank and Insurance, Port of Antwerp, and SD Worx were the first four proud Founders of the MAS, each making a substantial, structural contribution over a period of five years. Port of Antwerp also became the concession holder of a MAS pavilion: the ‘Port Pavilion’.

Port of Antwerp plays an important role in the daily operations of the port of Antwerp and is committed to a sustainable future for Antwerp as a global port.

Today, Port of Antwerp still has a privileged relationship with the MAS. The current structural sponsorship contribution goes towards the care and accessibility of the MAS collections.

Sponsors

One of the building's showpieces is the 3,000 shiny aluminum hands that adorn the façade and refer to the Antwerp city story about Brabo and the giant Antigoon. Through a sponsorship package (€1,000 - €5,000), people could – and still can – buy a ‘Hand’. The names of the Hand sponsors are immortalized in the pedestrian boulevard.

You too can lend the MAS a hand by becoming a sponsor or volunteer, or by making a donation.

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