The freeing of the Scheldt was a landmark event in Flemish history. In mid-1863, Antwerp celebrated that after more than 250 years, merchant shipping on the Scheldt was truly free again. A telling painting of this ‘Scheldt Free!’ celebration from the MAS collection can be seen in our Visible Storage.
The escalators in the MAS didn't only take visitors up to the roof, they also allowed to travel through time with impressive photographs of the collection.
FREE ENTRANCE | Discover ‘Tatreez’ (Palestinian embroidery) in the Visible Storage. Historical pieces from the MAS collection are displayed alongside contemporary creations. The presentation shows how this centuries-old embroidery tradition is much more than just decoration on textiles.
What is valuable must be protected. That is the logic of the Flemish Masterpieces Decree. Since the creation of this decree in 2003, just about 1,000 objects and collections have been recognised and protected as masterpieces. Through decree, the government also strengthens public collections by acquiring important masterpieces.
Abram Spiwak decided to follow his beloved Sophie to America. He did not have valid papers, but he tried his luck with the financial support of his family.
The MAS has been able to get hold of a few pieces from gay bar Café Strange at an auction. This way, a bit of the bar of Antwerp's icon and café owner Armand in the Dambruggestraat is preserved for the future.
Along the frayed fault line between the city and port lies a raw and rusty area. For many Antwerp residents, this represents a blind spot on the map. However, this area oozes history linked to the once bustling in-city port.
