Around the corner from the Mode Museum, is a street, which is more like an alley, called…read moreKopstraatje. I heard that it was once just a run-down alley but some very good graffiti artists came to town and spruced it up, transforming it into an outdoor art museum. Its hard to describe the art, so have a look at the photos!

A Must-Visit Gem in Antwerp! MAS was an absolute highlight…read moreof my time in Antwerp. The Compassion exhibit was deeply moving--exactly what I needed and didn't know I was looking for. The museum's location by the port is beautiful, and the experience of exploring each floor was truly special. I loved how each level offered a new perspective--both artistically and visually. The artwork was thoughtfully curated, and taking the escalators between floors revealed stunning views over the city, creating a seamless blend of culture and scenery. Don't miss the panoramic rooftop--it's worth the visit alone.

We did not pay to go inside the museum BUT i will share what you can do for free…read more Walk or ride your bike to this area. If you have a rental bike there is a docking station right in front. There is a children's play area outside as well as plentiful places to sit to enjoy a rest or the sun. Once inside continue to the escalator. There is a free public toilet on the 2nd floor. Very clean. The ladies restroom also has free feminine products for those that need them. The window design blew me away and I wanted to stop on each floor to take photos and have a moment to take in the view. Continue to the roof top. Here you will have a 360 view of the city. Great place for photos. There is a thick plexiglass but you can hold your camera/phone up and reach the top. I cannot get over the glass design and how it continuously curves. Just simply amazing. On the Saturday we were there they had 2 art areas for children to create a photo. There is one free museum entry exhibit that impressed me-it is the storage area of pieces that either are rotated and stored. I do wish that all museums had this. Very neat to see behind the scenes. These items are in cages but you can see them still. Very interesting to also see the labels, tags etc. Definitely do not miss this. Tickets to actually go in the museum are sold on the first floor as soon as you enter the building to the right. There is a cafe and in the area several places you can eat and drink. You can also take a walk and see all the docked boats.

My museum timing is often uncannily bad, but this time I must've gotten lucky, because very soon…read morethis space will be closed for a lonnnnnng time. Sneaked in! Lots of paintings by the artist in a dark and visceral space. Bookcases always a good thing too. His famous hellscape is on display in it's own room with a bench and low lighting, so that was good thinking by the curators. The gift shop has some nice postcards and magnets and other little objects. The staff is friendly. There are lockers to put your stuff. The price is right. Keen eyed museum goers might find an oddly placed box containing several keys in one of the galleries. I couldn't help but snoop around in it... it's a little thing for the kids to find. If I was a wee one and I found this box, I would be losing my shit. Such a great idea by the staff! You turn in the key to the front desk and get a little surprise. Adults too, apparently :D

This house museum is a gorgeous way to step back in time. While not a huge place, it packs a big…read morepunch. You can wind your way through a few floors of charming art and history, appreciating interesting details as you go. They are currently interspersing a few contemporary works to juxtapose them with the permanent collection, which was something different. Visit both this lovely place and the Rockoxhuis Museum on your trip to Antwerp!

My mother and I visited this museum while we were in Brussels a few months ago and it was another…read moregreat museum in Brussels. They have a TON of paintings and sculptures. They have some great stuff here and I really liked the space in between each piece of art, as odd as that sounds, it let you spread out a bit when looking at a painting. There are many, huge rooms on two floors and there was something around every corner. This place was really cool and I would definitely visit here again.

This is one of Belgium's most famous fine arts museum. The buying tickets process is a bit…read morecomplicated as there are options to buy one exhibit or multiple exhibits. Either way, the ticket prices aren't hugely expensive and each exhibit is quite good so even if you buy the wrong exhibit, you'll have a good time. The museum itself is huge and I really appreciate them having electronic kiosks here and there to tell the stories of the paintings. There was one kiosk explaining how a painting of a family portrait got chopped off into three bits and the process of then identifying these pieces as a singular unit. I thought the story was quite incredibly as you not only learn about the art but also the way the museum conducts its business. While I was walking, I noticed that there was an English led tour going on and decided to join in. Not sure if this is for additional moneys, but honestly I would highly HIGHLY recommend. This is the only reason why the museum would get a 5-stars. The explainer was absolutely amazing, I definitely think that this was the best art museum tour I have ever been on. The guide didn't talk about many paintings, maybe 10-15 during the 1 hour tour, but every single painting she did talk about had such an interesting backstory and you're not learning just about the history but also about how the museum curates its work. You will definitely be able to get a deeper sense of appreciation for this place. Overall, highly recommend visiting, especially if you're deciding on going on a tour. The surrounding areas are also very nice too and would highly recommend checking out the surrounding architectures after the gallery visit.

Just a heads up -- the majority if art in here is by other artists. There are a few wonderful…read morepieces from Rubens himself but don't expect a museum of his work. This is mostly art that was part of his personal collection and the work of his contemporaries. Rubens is an example of an artist that was successful during his lifetime. He operated a studio and was very in demand. Thus, due to his wealth, the house is quite beautiful. The tour of the house is self-guided. They have booklets in various languages with numbers corresponding with art pieces. You just follow the path and bury your nose in your booklet to learn about the art. You don't need too much time here. If you move fast, you can probably see everything in one hour. This may change depending on how crowded the museum gets. The rooms are pretty small but it wasn't too bad when I came here since it was a rainy day at the end of August. **Make sure you see everything. The last room is the most beautiful (large paintings). Don't skip the courtyard in the back either -- gorgeous architecture (although they are currently restoring it). **Free on the last Wednesday of the month. I had no idea but just so happened to visit Antwerp on this day so I got very lucky.

The Rubenshuis, which was the home of the famous painter Pieter Paul Rubens is a site to see if you…read moreneed time to kill. From the outside it looks tremendous and while it does not disappoint from the inside, I felt a little down after seeing the whole thing. Now while this is not the cheapest attraction in the town by far, it will not break the bank, the problem really comes down to what you are expecting. I expected to see more of the lifestyle of Pieter Paul Rubens, but what I got was a refinished house full of art setup in the way of a small art museum. Do not get me wrong, the sculptures and paintings are wonderful, but nothing to write home about when compared to many other museums nearby. Couple that with the small hallways and large crowds and it will have you rushing for the exit as soon as possible. We ended up walking around pretty freely as not many were there an hour after the opening on a crummy weather day, but as we were leaving, we saw a HUGE group heading in, so be aware this may not be friendly for those with no patience or claustrophobic. On the plus side, the back yard and garden is beautiful in the Spring and Summer, but sadly the buildings facade was getting a makeover when we were there. Was it deserving of more than a three star, yes, but I'd leave it at a 3.5 out of 5 to be honest. Still worth visiting though if you read up on it beforehand and interests you.

I have a tradition when I travel to try to find the less mainstream museums. I'm the person who'll…read moreshun the Natural History Museum in favour of a museum of creepy dolls (you'd be surprised at how many of these there are). I mean, ideally I'd go to both, but still. Anyway, this is how we found ourselves tracking down the MEM - the Erotic and Mythology Museum and handing over €10 for the privilege of exploring it. This is very much a private, personal collection that the collector has decided to make public. It's a small operation and you need to be buzzed in, but the person at the front desk was very friendly and helpful. First off, she led us downstairs to the basement floor and gave us guides to the exhibits printed in English. She told us that the collector had started by collecting small figures when he was a teenager and that his collection grew and expanded from there. I was worried this was going to become a very embarrass and awkward guided tour but thankfully she pointed us to the first display case and said to come back upstairs when we were done. The exhibits are fascinating. They have figurines and decorative items not to mention some, ahem, devices. They span a wide period of history and some must be quite rare. Our guide also mentioned that an erotic museum in Paris has recently closed and that the collector is trying to bring as many pieces to Brussels as he can. So I expect the collection will soon be expanded. We went back upstairs and were told that there was even more to see on the next floor up. Which was true. Off we went to pick up more printed guides and explore more fascinating (and yes, ok, sometimes hilarious) artefacts. We definitely got our €10 worth.

My 500th review had to be saved for the best. A museum completely dedicated to the history of…read moreerotic art? Yes, please -- where do I sign up? I don't think it was more than 10 or 15 euro per person, which I was more than happy to shell out. This place was definitely small, but they managed to pack tons of art in various forms into this exhibit. They covered at least a thousand years from countless countries. To say that is was fascinating would be a huge understatement. I was glad that it was a self-guided tour. My wife and I spent more time on the first floor than the others. I will admit that some of it was comical to us, but overall, it was one of the best museum visits I've had.

We heard this place gets busy so we booked our trip months in advance and am glad we did. I love…read morechocolates and I love museums so this worked out well for me. The experience itself was fun and informative and the best part...OMG the best part...you get to try the liquid chocolates at the end! They give you a spoon and you get to try around 15 different varieties. I wish I had known this before, I would have eaten something before it. A lot of liquid chocolate first thing in the morning is not a good idea but it was worth it and I would do it again.

This museum was an interactive fun experience! From the moment you start the partially virtually…read moreguided tour it's amazing. There are multiple rooms you get guided through with a little audio remote that have visuals and interactive displays on how chocolate is grown and processed. After that you get to view a massive area of chocolate art which is beyond impressive. There is an area where you can watch chefs make chocolate. Towards the end of the tour there is a chocolate tasting! They have about 8 machines with liquid chocolate in various flavors and you get to grab a spoon and taste all the chocolates. This was an amazing way to spend a few hours of our time in Belgium! The store they have is also insane. You can find just about any type of chocolate including chocolate shoes! I brought back so many yummy treats for my family and the pricing was very reasonable. If you're in Antwerp you have to come here!

After our scheduled tour was canceled, I was looking for places to go and found this suggestion…read moreunder a Yelp collection. After realizing Belgium was the home of the smurfs, I had to stop by. In front of the entrance is a huge smurf statue, and right next door is the smurf store. The museum cost 14 Euros, which is equivalent to about $15 usd. They do request that you don't use flash when taking pictures. I really enjoyed this museum and the flashback of my childhood. If you grew up watching the Smurfs or TinTin, I would add the Mook Museum to your list. Our visit was 45 minutes to an hour.

Amazing museum - very unusual musical instruments - 3 full floors of exhibits. You are able to…read morehear the instruments through museum provided headphones

This is an update.I also appreciated its fine collection of 19th Century Oil Paintings primarily by…read moreBelgian Painters.Favorites included Franz Von Leemputten's"Distribution of Bread In Village"(fine Naturalism),Alexandre Cabanel's"Cleopatra Testing Poison On Condemned Prisoners"(Oriental Theme),Emile Claus'"Flax Weeding In Flanders",Eugene Laermans'"Blind One",Vincent Van Gogh's"Potato Harvesters",and James Tissot's"Embarkation in Calais". As for 20th Century Paintings,I especially appreciated Henry Van De Velde's"Woman At Window",Jean Brusselmans'"Spring",Amadeo Modigliani's"Seated Nude",Theo van Rhysellberghe's"Marie Sethe,Future Wife of Henry Van De Velde",Paul Delvaux'"Pink Bows"(quality Surrealism),Rene Magritte's"Statement of September",and James Ensor's"Carnival in Binche"and"Intrigue". The time that I spent at the KMSKA Art Museum was very rewarding.I spent 2 days at this wonderful art museum.

The Design Museum was mentioned in a New York Times article about Gent that came out shortly before…read moremy trip to Belgium. I bookmarked it because we were planning to spend a full day in town. While I do enjoy a variety of museums, this particular one didn't really hold my interest. That's not to say it won't hold yours! If you're someone who loves a behind the scenes look at how things are made, or you want to know about different textiles and other materials, furniture design, etc. you will love this place. I saw some interesting things in an exhibition about fibres and plastics, but the museum as a whole didn't leave me wanting more. To each their own!

Right off the bat, I will admit I am not much of a "design" type. Certainly I have a style, and I…read moreknow what I admire, but maybe its not necessarily what is hip or up to the standards of the design community. That said, I also don't necessarily see why some things are so special when they don't appeal to me. But art is subjective, so I just have to remember it's always a matter of taste. As for the Design Museum in Gent, well, it's pretty fantastic. I visited when two specific exhibitions were on display: Pieter De Bruyne (Pioneer of Postmodernism) and Destrøy/Design (A selection from the collection of the Frac Nord-Pas de Calais). Both I liked, for different reasons, but the one thing they had in common was that they made the viewer think critically about the art. There is also a permanent exhibition, which I wasn't as fond of. Because it was all in Dutch, it was hard for me to figure out what the "point" was, or the common thread holding things together. A few pieces here and there caught my attention, but mostly I breezed through it. Still, if there is a special exhibit here, I recommend stopping by. I spent maybe 30-45 minutes here, but people who are more art-minded might linger through the four floors even longer.