Aan de Strom Museum

The Aan de Strom Museum was built in 2011 according to a special design by a famous architectural bureau. The museum attracts visitors not only with its appearance, but also with the rich collections it stores. Both private and public collections are stored and exhibited here. The two lower floors are used for permanent exhibitions, and the third floor houses temporary exhibitions

Building

The Aan de Strom Museum is made in an interesting technology; all the rooms are located in its central part, while the stairs seem to encircle the entire usable space. It turns out that all the lighting in the exhibition halls is only artificial, which gives them an intimate feel. It’s as if there are no windows at all, instead there are continuous horizontal stripes of wavy glass. It is like a column of water inside a stone captivity. The weight and significance of the building of the An de Strom Museum is given by large brick-red blocks of Indian sandstone. An de Strom stands right by the river and in the evening its facades are beautifully illuminated in different colors, adding to its unusualness.

It was no coincidence that the location for the gallery was determined in the 16th century; previously there was a house in which German merchants lived. Time passed, the residents of the house moved out, the building gradually fell into disrepair. From time to time it changed owners and assignments; it had barracks, warehouses, and even housed a church. At the end of the 19th century, the Aan de Strom Museum was badly damaged by a fire; demolishing it turned out to be easier than rebuilding it, so that’s what they did. The resulting space was occupied by a grain warehouse, and then they decided to build a museum.

Museum

Museum Aan de Strom is positioned as an art gallery with a port-themed focus. The history of the city is closely connected with its port and the trade that was conducted through it. Even the legend of its name found a response in the images of hands on the facades. According to that legend, there lived a giant at the mouth of the river; he did not allow merchant ships to pass without payment, and he tore off both hands of those who refused him. Once Silvius Brabo defeated a giant, Antwerp literally translates as “thrown hand.”

In the Museum of An de Strom you can see a variety of objects brought to the city from long voyages: these are maps, ancient African masks, and weapons. There is a hall dedicated to the religions professed in the city, which can teach you more about the history of the old European city. Interestingly, the building also houses a fashionable Michelin-starred restaurant.