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A glimpse of the collection

Until 25.10.2023

CLOSED | You could find out more about the people behind the objects of the MAS: who used them, who collected them? And at the same time, you could take a look behind the scenes of the museum.

Masterpieces from the Governement of Flanders

Flanders possesses a magnificent collection of movable cultural heritage. With the 'Masterpieces Decree', the Flemish government wants to protect these unique cultural objects. Based on the decree, a list of rare and indispensable objects was compiled. Some of them are part of the MAS collection.

Display of Power | About Prestige and Symbols

17.05.2011 - 18.02.2018

People have been fascinated by power for centuries. Why is power so seductive? What kind of prestige accompanies it? A highly topical theme in which – who knows? – you may find some personal relevance.

Inca's

The exhibition 'L’héritage sacré des Andes' in Draguignan (France) offers an overview of three thousand years of Andean history, from the Chavín culture to the Inca civilization. More than 250 ritual objects have been selected, including four pieces from the Paul and Dora Janssen-Arts collection. 

An excellent herb cake

Discover the collection

Antwerp is a port city where the world has been mooring at the docks for centuries. The MAS collection is the place where city and world meet. 500,000 exhibits offer a varied perspective on the city and its age-old contacts with the world. Some of them are displayed in permanent and temporary exhibitions, but most are kept in storage. In the Visible Storage area, the MAS lifts a corner of the veil. For the really inquisitive, the MAS also has its entire collection on display online.

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.

19th century dollhouse

In preparation for the family exhibition Anybody home?, the MAS had a 19th-century wooden dollhouse restored. The house and its furnishings were carefully refurbished.

Study painting First entry of Napoleon to Antwerp

Napoleon's visit to Antwerp in 1803 was a high point for the city on the Scheldt.  Joséphine de Beauharnais, Napoleon's wife, ordered a painting to immortalise the entry. This is a preliminary sketch for that.

Ancient Glass

Publication of an extraordinary collection

The ancient glass collection is one of the hidden gems at the MAS. It's part of a valuable glass collection numbering nearly 700 objects. For the first time the subcollection of ancient glass is published in a comprehensive catalogue.