Museum aan de Stroom (MAS)

The Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) tells the stories of the people, history and culture of the port city Antwerp and its connection to the world. Housed in a striking ten-storey postmodern building in the old harbor district of Eilandje, MAS has a vast collection of 600,000 objects, many inherited from former museums, such as the National Maritime Museum, the Folklore Museum and the Vleeshuis Museum, in addition to the world-renowned Paul and Dora Janssen-Arts Collection of pre-Columbian art, on permanent loan. The museum stages a comprehensive exhibition program from its collection, with displays covering various aspects of Antwerp’s culture, such as its culinary history beginning in the 16th century or its centuries-long role in world trade. On the second floor, visitors can explore the MAS’s Visible Storage, a unique behind-the-scenes glimpse of its collection holdings, with a special section of curated objects otherwise off view.