Museum aan de Stroom (MAS)

The Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) in Antwerp is housed in a stunning piece of modern construction that has a geometric layout made of wave-shaped glass panels and variegated stone. This 10-story structure, which stands on the site of the historic Hanseatic warehouse and resembles a child’s block puzzle, overlooks the harbor.

The museum’s displays cover a wide range of subjects. On the fifth floor, there is a display of the city’s culinary past, as well as information about Antwerp’s historic status as the world’s greatest trading and shipping port.

Visitors can enjoy a full 360-degree view of the city and the harbor from the rooftop, which is open on top but protected by glass walls. On this rooftop, you can also discover the Saluting Admiral Couple sculpture by local artist Guillaume Bijl.

Additional displays explore global issues, such as how different cultures throughout the world celebrate rites of passage and how mankind has approached death and spirituality throughout history.

The largest collection of pre-Columbian American art in Europe is housed on the eighth level and focuses on the interaction between indigenous societies and their gods. Along with the permanent collection, MAS frequently presents a schedule of temporary exhibitions covering a variety of topics.

On the second floor of the museum, there is a special storage area where guests may view the racks containing more than 180,000 objects that have not yet been set up as exhibits. Over 500,000 objects in all are kept in the museum’s collection.