Mas Museum in Antwerp: One of a kind
Sun 26 February 2012
, Nicole Bader, Charming Travel Choices
Antwerp’s New Mas Museum is a new urban icon and set to transform a downtrodden dockside area into the city’s hottest arts district. The beautiful MAS Museum in Antwerp is an absolute ‘must see’. In an impressive building you can witness the position of Antwerp in the world. The MAS with its sight depot, museum and museum shop, promenade, Michelin star restaurant and breathtaking 360° panorama of the city is an exceptional experience!!
Antwerp is a port city into which the world has been sailing for five centuries. And at this port you find today’s MAS Museum. MAS stand for ‘Museum aan de Stroom’ in Dutch. The museum unites art and heritage from the city, the river, the port and the world to tell new stories about the world in Antwerp and Antwerp in the world. The museum is like an open house. The impressive walkway and modern escalators from the ground floor to the top at the ninth floor are free of charge, running alongside the exhibition spaces at the heart of the tower. "The tower is created like a spiral. You’ll experience all of Antwerp along the way through the 6-metre high wavy ribbons of glass panels and sensuality of the red Indian stones. Only access to the museum rooms is at a charge.
The MAS tells its story through a temporary exhibition, a visual storage and a permanent exhibition of four universal themes spread over five floors. The first theme on the fourth floor is about ‘Display of Power: on Prestige and Symbols’. On the fifth floor you find ‘Metropolis: On Here and Elsewhere’. The sixth floor shows the ‘World Port: On Trade and Shipping’ and the seventh and eight floor focus on ‘Life and Death: On Men and Gods, the Upper and the Underworld’. The museum pulls together some of the finest art assembled by the city through its history. The best of 470,000 pieces collected from Antwerp museums and private collections are on display. There's everything from Flemish painting to Pre-Colombian art and Maori pieces. The 180,000 objects not presently on display are placed in the MAS’s unique Visible Storage. The Visible Storage is also referred to as the museum’s ‘beating heart’ and gives the visitor a unique look behind the scenes of a rich collecting past.
Once inside the museum, as one raises from floor to floor, the image of Antwerp becomes clear with elevation. The presentation of the collection per floor is stimulating and innovative. Design, lighting, music and display are extraordinary and surprising in this museum. Lively scenes of the port’s history are projected on walls, vitrines show exceptional objects and ornaments, textiles and paintings are exposed.
Next to the beautiful exhibitions and architecture, the MAS is also known for its double Michelin starred restaurant called ‘t Zilte on the top floor of the building where true haute cuisine is served. But also the ground floor café of the museum became a trend quickly. I guess it’s only a matter of time before the MAS Museum will become an international attraction!!
For information and bookings contact Nicole at http://www.charmingtravelchoices.com
Nicole Bader, Charming Travel choices
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