Day Fifteen - Antwerp
Brussels and Antwerp Central Stations
On the recommendation of Kin, who had been in Brussels during the hot summer of 2025, I took the 40-minute train ride to Antwerp, specifically to visit the MAS museum, which was unlike any museum I’d ever seen.
The MAS aims to be an international and pioneering museum about the global connectedness between people and collections from different cultures and environments. With a river of tales, viewed from multiple perspectives, we engage everyone to be curious about the present, past and future of Antwerp and the world. The MAS collaborates with the public and national and international partners. The diverse collection ranges from history, art and culture of the port city of Antwerp, through international trade and shipping to art and culture in Europe, Africa, America, Asia and Oceania. The iconic MAS building is the place where the city and the world meet. And there is room for dialogue and experimentation.
On my visit, the exhibitions included: City at war (Antwerp, 1940 - 1945) | Antwerp à la carte (About cities and food) | Freight (About the port, people and cargo) | Anybody home? (Reflect on what a 'home' means) | Art from Pre-Columbian America (Some 400 pre-Columbian objects from 50 different cultures).
From the panoramic roof of the MAS.
Back in Brussels for a second night at Brasserie Ommegang for their award-winning Carbonnade, a heart beef and onion stew, fries, and dessert.
