Middelheim Museum: A Unique Treasure In Antwerp

More than 250,000 visitors per year visit Middelheim, the fascinating sculptural open-air museum situated in the city of Antwerp. With no admission fee, this welcoming art park offers a green walk through more than 100 years of visual arts.

An exceptional sculpture collection consisting of approximately 400 artworks spread over 30 hectars of green space with rich tree-lined paths, Middelheim makes for a perfect cultural visit in Antwerp. Artworks date back from the 1990s until today and cover a wide variety of the international contemporary and modern sculpture art scene.

Works by major artists such as Auguste Rodin, Rik Wouters, Henry Moore, Juan Muñoz, Carl Andre, Panamarenko, Franz West, Erwin Wurm and many others have been installed over the years here, and the collection is frequently enriched, adding to the internationally acknowledged profile of the open air museum every year.

Broad, green pathways leading to the different park zones make for a great walk. Don’t miss the Braem pavilion, build by Renaat Braem, one of Belgium’s best-known architects from the 20th century. A charming fountain, built by the Belgian artist Philippe Van Snick, stands among the permanent collection of sculptures to be found here. Known artists such as Alberto Giacometti, Jean Arp and Wim Delvoye have exhibited their work in this zone of the park which is kept for the most fragile artworks and is changed twice a year.

The exhibition space expands through the Middelheim Castle next to the café and museum shop and crosses through the main areas of the Middelheumlaan, Hortiflora, a big flower garden and the Het Huis, a semi-open pavilion designed by Robbrecht and Daem for the new temporary exhibition site, including three exhibitions per year.

The collections kept here are defined by a strong diversity of minimalistic or abstract sculptures in different shapes and forms, with imposing characters, egregious expressions and massive artistic identity. The green, interconnected boulevards add to the astonishing compositions, making Middelheim a unique spot for enjoying a vivid art walk. The museum is open daily except for Mondays and is free of charge. If interested you can purchase a guided tour through its many artistic creations in advance.