The MAS collection consists of more than 500,000 objects about art, cultural traditions and history of the city and port of Antwerp. But also of Europe, Asia, Africa, America and Oceania.
Thanks to intensive restoration, a large float was prepared for the exhibition 'Listen. Stories found in the city'. You can read about how the restoration of this piece was carried out and what choices were made here.
In the multimedia project 'In many hands' twenty-five people shine their light on the Congolese collection of the city of Antwerp. They speak about an object of choice from the one hundred highlights in the exhibition.
This conference, strongly linked to the theme of the MAS exhibition 'Antwerp à la carte', aimed to increase our awareness of food systems as dynamic cultural phenomena. The conference took place between 21-23 September 2022.
The Antwerp Hand biscuits are the most well-known tourist souvenir from the city. In the MAS collection, we find many packagings of the biscuits. However, behind the scenes of the little biscuit, there is more than one story to tell.
Since 2012, the Mestizo Arts Platform (MAP) collective has been maintaining and renewing the Altar of Antwerp: a participatory installation that invites us to reflect on the meaning of 'what we have lost' in the city. This has been a part of the MAS' permanent collection since 2017.
The MAS' largest and most impressive collection pieces can be seen on the Scheldt quays. And just in front of the MAS, you almost bump into the showpiece of our collection.
In 2020, the MAS is taking a whole new course with its youth program "MAS in Young Hands". What must be stored in the MAS? According to young people, what is heritage and where do we find it in the city? With these and other questions, young people go to work online and offline and will inspire an artist in residence.
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.