Middelheim Museum

A museum like no other

The Middelheim Museum is an extraordinary place where art and nature come together. This sculpture park connects every visitor with both sculpture and nature in the heart of the city. It brings artists, audiences, and communities together to explore, nurture, and further develop these vital connections—for the resilience of today and tomorrow. In the museum city of Antwerp, the Middelheim Museum remains something truly unique.

The interaction of art and nature

Art and nature engage in a unique dialogue within the park. There are no traditional museum galleries here, but living landscapes filled with chirping birds and shifting sunlight. Everything moves with the rhythm of the seasons, making every visit different. The artworks constantly interact with the park landscape—leaves change color, light shifts, rain and sun alter your perception of the pieces. The museum remains a lively and dynamic place, full of surprises.

Everything in motion

The meaning of art is never fixed—and that’s evident at the Middelheim Museum. Contemporary artists challenge us to see differently. They question ingrained ideas and invite us to reflect on societal and artistic developments. Their work provokes questions, encourages contemplation, and opens the door to unexpected encounters. The museum is not just a place for viewing, but also for thinking, feeling, and engaging in dialogue.

Well-being and tranquility

It’s not just about thinking: in the park’s quietness—away from the city’s hustle—you’ll find real peace. Many Antwerp locals come here to catch their breath, surrounded by both art and nature. The museum pays special attention to how it can contribute to the mental and physical well-being of its staff, visitors, local residents, and the broader city community.

No 'backstage'

Most museums carry out restorations and preparations behind closed doors. Not here. At the Middelheim Museum, this happens openly. Maintenance work, restorations, sculpture relocations, and exhibition setups—visitors get a unique behind-the-scenes look at the museum in action. They see not only how the collection is cared for, but also how a museum lives and evolves.

No barriers

The Middelheim Museum is the only museum in Antwerp that is always free to visit. It offers accessible encounters with modern and contemporary sculpture. Young or old, art enthusiast or casual passerby—everyone can explore the sculpture park at their own pace. With no tickets or entry barriers, the museum invites spontaneous discoveries, repeat visits, and new perspectives on art in public space.

Photo: Tom Cornille

Carl André, 74 WEATHERING WAY, 2001 © SABAM Belgium 2025 - Photo: Tom CornilleErwin Wurm, Misconceivable, 2010 © SABAM Belgium 2025 - Photo: Tom Cornille

Impressive art Collection

Sculptures and installations shine among stately beeches, quiet ponds, and fresh wildflowers in the grass. Old and new architecture blend with modern and contemporary art in a centuries-old park. This unique combination has earned the Middelheim Museum the reputation of housing one of the most beautiful open-air art collections.

World-Class International Collection

Since 1950, the Middelheim Museum has been building an impressive collection of artworks—now counting over 1,800 pieces. More than 250 sculptures are on display every day in the park, spanning from 1870 to today. While early decades focused on European sculpture, recent years have seen a shift towards contemporary practices. As a result, historical and current artists are presented side by side, including Camille Henrot, Barbara Hepworth, Germaine Richier, Henry Moore, Auguste Rodin, Alexander Calder, Juan Muñoz, Berlinde De Bruyckere, Pascale Martine Tayou, Richard Deacon, Ai Weiwei, and many more. You can browse the collection online here.

Ai Weiwei, The Bridge Without a Name, 2012 © Ai Weiwei - Photo: Joris Casaer

25 Flemish Masterpieces

Flanders holds a significant collection of artworks and heritage that tell the story of its culture and history. Some works are so valuable, rare, and essential that the Flemish government protects them under the Masterpiece Decree. Until 2022, seven works from the Middelheim collection were recognized as Masterpieces. In 2022, another 18 sculptures received this designation—nine from the period 1914–1945, and nine from 1945–1968. Most of these pieces are on view in the sculpture park and collection pavilion. Full overview: see appendix.

A Dynamic Place of Change

Nature is always in motion—and so are museums and their collections. Once considered unchanging repositories, museums today are dynamic spaces where visitors experience art and heritage through the lens of their own lives. In light of an ever-changing world and contemporary topics like climate change, sustainability, gender equality, migration, and healthcare, artworks take on new perspectives and meanings. The museum’s collection presentation embraces these ongoing shifts and encourages an open outlook. ​

Rik Wouters, La vierge folle (Het zotte geweld), 1912, inv 1797 - Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen, Collectie Vlaamse Gemeenschap (public domain) - Photo: Tom CornilleAuguste Rodin, Balzac, 1892-97, inv 2196 - Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen - Collectie Vlaamse Gemeenschap (public domain) - Photo: Tom Cornille

Bruce Nauman, Diamond Shaped Room with Yellow Light, 1986-1990/2018, collection Middelheim Museum - photo Tom CornilleHenry Moore, King and Queen, 1952-53 © The Henry Moore Foundation and SABAM Belgium 2025 - Photo: Tom Cornille

Collection presentation in four themes

How do humans and nature relate to one another? Artists throughout time have wrestled with this question. Their responses come together in an extensive exhibition throughout the sculpture park. Together, they present hundreds of ways to explore the unbreakable bond between humanity and nature. These perspectives are grouped into four thematic zones, each with its own area in the park. The natural surroundings and the sculptures amplify one another in both directions.

THEME 1: Movements

Change is an inherent part of nature. Artists, past and present, are fascinated by mutation, transformation, and cycles of growth and decay. Movements explores how we deal with change. Do we embrace the uncertainty of transformation? Or do we attempt to impose our will?

The sculpture park itself changes daily with the rhythm of the seasons. This zone showcases nature’s constant transformation—from budding leaves to fallen autumn foliage. Sculptures, too, live and evolve. A bronze sculpture might begin as clay, wax, or plaster. Some artworks recycle waste materials, while others are made of ephemeral or even living elements. The life cycle is reflected in small details and celestial bodies alike.

This theme goes beyond the idea of change—it also invites it. Art encourages us to empathize with the imagination of others. Only through exchange can we move forward on complex issues such as our relationship with nature, now and in the future.

Some of the artworks:

Chris Burden, Beam Drop, 2009 © Chris Burden / licensed by The Chris Burden Estate and SABAM Belgium – Photo: Joris Luyten

THEME 2: Human Nature

Human Nature is about how people see themselves in relation to others and to nature. The artworks reflect how our self-image has evolved over time and prompt reflection on our changing relationship with the environment.

The Middelheim Museum reveals how different generations have shaped the landscape to reflect their vision. The "Hortiflora" section of the park, for example, was once a display garden showcasing various paving styles, plants, and flowerbeds—at one time, the most curated area of the park. Now, nature is gradually reclaiming space.

Many artworks here place the human figure at the center. In the early 20th century, sculptures often glorified athletes, laborers, idealists, and creative geniuses—mostly white, Western men. But our image of humanity is changing. Who or what deserves a pedestal today? This theme encourages self-reflection: how do we see ourselves and our place in the world, and what values do we hold dear?

Some of the artworks:

Berlinde De Bruyckere, Onschuld kan een hel zijn, 1993 © studio Berlinde De Bruyckere – Photo: Tom Cornille

THEME 3: Urban Wilderness

“Urban Wilderness” zooms in on how city dwellers experience nature. What kind of paradise do we dream of? Can we still call it nature if it was created by human hands? This theme invites reflection on our vision of the "ideal" nature.

Since the founding of cities, urbanites have longed for nature. They seek places to relax and create dreamlike visions of paradise in parks and gardens. This kind of artificial paradise is on display in this zone of the museum. It looks like a romantic wilderness: it seems like pure nature, but it has been shaped by human hands. Is it fantasy, or is it reality?

The artworks in this zone inhabit the paradise. They play with the tension between “real” and “fake.” They explore the ambiguity of attraction and repulsion, oasis and danger. This theme invites us to think about our relationship with nature and what it reveals about ourselves and the way we view the world.

Some of the artworks:

Isa Genzken, Fenster, 1993 © SABAM Belgium 2025 – Photo: Tom Cornille

THEME 4: Entanglement

We often experience nature and culture as two separate, even opposing worlds. But can humans and nature really exist apart from one another? “Entanglement” explores the many ways in which humans and nature are intertwined. It’s an invitation to reflect on what connects us.

The Middelheim Museum is the perfect place to explore the cross-pollination between humanity and nature. After all, isn’t the park itself a collaboration between human ingenuity and natural forces? In this zone, at the heart of the Middelheim Park, the entanglement of nature and culture began.

Humans and nature are never truly separate. You can see this in the sculptures that depict human figures yet represent natural phenomena like rivers, seas, or rocks. Conversely, animals or objects are sometimes given human traits such as personality. Hybrid creations form a third category. In these in-between forms, human and animal, technology and nature, plant and human merge into one being.

Some of the artworks:

François Pompon, l'Ours, 1920 - Photo: Tom Cornille

Total Visitor Experience

The Middelheim Museum is constantly evolving. The presentation of the collection is regularly reviewed. Sustainable interventions in the park and pavilions contribute to a continually developing overall experience.

Current Collection Presentation

How do humans and nature relate to one another? This question has occupied artists throughout the ages. Their answers are presented in an extensive exhibition in the sculpture park. Together, they offer hundreds of perspectives on the inseparable bond between humanity and nature. All these visions are brought together in the sculpture park across four thematic zones.

Collection Pavilion with Collection Depot and Library

In the Collection Pavilion, hidden parts of the collection that support the sculptures in the park are brought together: works on paper, small sculptures, and fragile pieces. In an open storage presentation, you can view various Flemish Masterpieces. The other works complement the presentation in the park, reflecting the four themes of the sculpture park.

A significant “hidden” support collection is that of the museum library. The Middelheim Museum’s book collection follows the art collection closely and comprises around 25,000 titles on sculpture, including monographs, exhibition catalogues, and artist publications. Every visitor is welcome to consult the books and wide range of magazines free of charge during museum opening hours.

(c) Tom Cornille(c) Tom Cornille

Open-Air Depot

Artworks that are being restored or removed from the park display for other reasons find a home in the open-air depot. Unlike many traditional museum storage spaces, this unique facility is accessible to visitors. You can even see how artworks are restored or receive preventive maintenance.

In this depot, the museum stores weather-resistant outdoor sculptures on separate platforms. These sculptures receive extra care, including support and protection against precipitation and winter frost. They are also restored here. Some of the works belong to the Art in the City collection, which includes sculptures temporarily or permanently removed from public urban spaces. Here, they are kept safe.

The artworks in the open-air depot are just as valuable to the museum as those displayed in the sculpture park. The depot allows for thematic connections between collection pieces, sculpture rotation, and on-site restoration. The placement of works in the depot is purely functional, enabling staff to provide proper care and handling. At the same time, all artworks remain accessible to visitors.

This special depot infrastructure is highly sustainable. The sculptures require no lighting or heating. No new structures were added, and almost all old plinths and foundations have been reused. By keeping the artworks within the museum grounds, transportation needs for conservation are minimized. In collaboration with the city’s green services, a protective ground layer was installed to absorb rainwater and prevent erosion. Over 50 new trees and 2,000 additional shrubs were planted here, creating 800 m² of microforest. The museum’s bees have also been relocated to this area.

East Zone

In the East Zone, you feel the city: the Craeybeckx Tunnel runs beneath the museum here. Everywhere you see and hear the people of Antwerp—on the sports fields across the street, in cars, on their way to the university or the hospital. In the surrounding buildings, our neighbours look back at us.

This museum zone is currently being redesigned. At present, a long fence separates the museum from the outside world. In autumn 2025, more contact with the neighbours will be created. Together with the City of Antwerp, the Antwerp hospital network ZAS, and the University of Antwerp, we are working to improve accessibility to the museum from the hospital. This project is supported by the Flemish Government and the King Baudouin Foundation.

Starting in 2026, this site will allow for greater interaction with the artworks. Special attention will be given to the museum’s role in supporting the mental and physical well-being of hospital staff and patients, as well as residents of the broader community and the city.

Visitor Experience Begins in the Visitor Pavilion

A visit to the Middelheim Museum begins at the Visitor Pavilion, located between the main entrance and the castle. This pavilion is accessible to everyone. Here, visitors receive information about the museum map, current exhibitions, and activities. All guided tours and group or school activities also start here. You’ll find the museum shop, lockers, and a water station.

The museum shop reflects the atmosphere of the museum through a carefully curated selection of items—ranging from art books and design objects to botanical gifts and sustainable lifestyle products. Each product invites visitors to take a little piece of art and nature home with them.

(c) Tom Cornille

75 Years of Middelheim Museum

In 2025, the Middelheim Museum will celebrate its 75th anniversary. The museum proudly celebrates its long history and what makes it so special today: the best of sculpture combined with the beauty of nature. Plus, the love for the museum that visitors pass down from generation to generation. ​

A Special Anniversary Year

The 75th anniversary of the Middelheim Museum will be an especially memorable year for visitors. In the summer of 2025 (from May to September), they will have the chance to explore or rediscover the museum in a different way—not through the collection, but through their own imagination and creativity. Through drawings, texts, and smiles.

Summer Program

To mark this occasion, the museum has developed a unique summer program with activities for visitors to join individually, in groups, or with their families. Alternative tours will offer a special view of the museum and its collection. Some artists from the museum's collection will host exclusive drawing workshops. Literary creators will share stories inspired by their favorite artworks. The Braem Pavilion will be transformed into a drawing studio for life drawing, and a “Buitenbib” (Outdoor Library) will introduce visitors to the museum library’s special collection of art books.

Grand Celebration on May 17, 2025

The 75th anniversary of the Middelheim Museum will kick off with a big celebration on Saturday, May 17, 2025.

More info: www.middelheimmuseum.be

APPENDIX - Iconic Place with a Long History

Located on the green edge of Antwerp, the Middelheim Museum has been a leading institution in modern and contemporary sculpture for 75 years. The history of the site has undergone a remarkable transformation: from a simple farm to a lush private castle domain and ultimately a public city park. Since 1950, it has been a unique museum where art and nature come together in an expansive sculpture park.

Since the 14th century

Long before the establishment of the Middelheim Museum, this area was already a beloved green space. The park appears in 14th-century documents. By the 16th century, it became a popular summer residence for wealthy Antwerp families. Generations of noble owners continuously redesigned the estate. In 1910, the city of Antwerp purchased the dilapidated estate, along with Den Brandt and the Nachtegalenpark, to turn it into a public park. During World War II, both the German occupiers and the Allies used the park as a storage site, causing significant damage.

1950
​In the summer of 1948, London introduced a groundbreaking event: an open-air sculpture exhibition in Battersea Park. The idea was a success and, a year later, it reached Sonsbeek Park in Arnhem. There, Antwerp’s mayor Lode Craeybeckx was so enthusiastic that he decided: this should happen in Antwerp too. In 1950, he inaugurated the first international open-air sculpture exhibition at the Middelheim Park. With 167 sculptures by 121 artists and 125,000 visitors over three months, it was a huge success. Craeybeckx set up an advisory board, and shortly after, the "Openluchtmuseum voor Beeldhouwkunst Middelheim" (Open-Air Museum for Sculpture Middelheim) was born.

1953
​The permanent collection was established near the castle. Across from the Middelheimlaan, twenty Biennales for Sculpture were held from 1953 onwards. Each edition focused on a different Western country. The exhibitions primarily showcased recent works by living artists. After each biennale, an advisory group selected artworks for the museum’s collection.

1950s and 1960s
​The country-focused formula was a success. After the first biennale on Italy, the focus shifted to France, Germany-Austria-Switzerland, and then to England, with many works by Henry Moore. Each edition attracted tens of thousands of visitors and received praise from the international press. The permanent collection grew with each biennale, featuring both international and Belgian artists.

1971
​Antwerp architect Renaat Braem (1910-2001) designed the Braem Pavilion, a space for fragile artworks and temporary exhibitions. From 1972, the museum invited artists for site-specific projects.

1980s
​In the 1980s, the international art world evolved rapidly. Keeping up with these changes became a challenge. The twentieth and final biennale took place in 1989, and the country-focused formula was discontinued. When Antwerp applied to become the European Capital of Culture, a new chapter began.

1993
​After Madrid, Antwerp became the European Capital of Culture. Antwerp 93 marked a fresh start for the museum. Menno Meewis became director, bringing contemporary art expertise to the helm. The biennales were discontinued, and instead, the museum invited ten artists to create works for the newly available space. Among them were Richard Deacon, Isa Genzken, Per Kirkeby, Thomas Schütte, and Juan Muñoz. The new space for contemporary sculpture gave the museum a modern appearance.

1990s
​Starting in 1994, the museum organized solo exhibitions of artists like Guillaume Bijl, Henk Visch, and Carl Andre. These artists were given ample time and space, resulting in monumental works straddling the line between sculpture and architecture. In 1999, the Museum and later Heritage Decree of the Flemish Community officially recognized the Middelheim Museum, which strengthened its staff and budget.

2000s
​The museum expanded by 7 hectares. Landscape architect Michel Desvigne and artist Luc Deleu designed the new garden plan. Along the hospital, architect Stéphane Beel built a closed collection depot, which was converted into exhibition space in 2016. On the west side, metal sculptures from the 1960s-80s were installed, alongside an open-air depot for sculptures removed from public spaces.

2007
​[Middelheim Productions] represents collaborations with young artists in the city. At the Hessenhuis, they were given space to experiment and exhibit. When the new MAS required additional depots, young art had to find new homes.

2010
​Art in the City, the organization managing public art in Antwerp, placed an empty pedestal in the Stadspark. This marked the beginning of "De Sokkel" and later "Publiek Figuur." Each year, an artist was tasked with creating a new work for it. In 2017, a pedestal was also placed in Wilrijk.

2012
​The Middelheim Museum expanded once more. The former 'Hortiflora' of the Nachtegalenpark became the new space for summer exhibitions. Robbrecht and Daem Architects built "Het Huis," a semi-open pavilion for smaller sculptures. New entrances and signage were introduced in the park, and the old castle was renovated. A museum shop and café with a large terrace opened downstairs. Artists Ai Weiwei, Roman Signer, and Philippe Van Snick created new works. The museum involved its neighbors in its new public outreach and committed to public art. The theater company Compagnie Marius took up residence for ten years. The renovation was celebrated with a grand event.

2014
​On October 17, 2012, director Menno Meewis passed away unexpectedly. In January 2014, Sara Weyns succeeded him. The museum team was strengthened with its own curator and an expanded collection team. Art in the City received a formal structure with its own curator. The new collection policy focused on contemporary sculpture and exploring the boundaries of sculpture. Andrea Zittel, Kader Attia, and Camille Henrot had solo exhibitions. In Experience Traps (2018), sixteen artists led the audience on a journey. In Congoville (2021), contemporary artists explored the colonial legacy.

2022
​During the COVID-19 crisis of 2020-2021, the Middelheim Museum remained open as the only museum. The crisis reinforced the importance of green spaces for mental well-being. New insights and important social issues like climate change and well-being sharpened the museum's new mission. The museum now uses its collections, programs, and park to promote both mental and physical well-being.

2023-2024
​More than 70 years after its founding, 224 artworks were thoughtfully reinstalled in the sculpture park, with improved interpretation and signage. Art and nature come even closer together in four thematic zones. Parts of the park were redeveloped with the city’s gardening service, focusing on sustainability. On the new open-air platform, dozens of sculptures from the previous setup remain on display. The collection pavilion received a new purpose, and a new visitors’ pavilion with a museum shop and clear signage has been designed to enhance the visitor experience.

2025
​The Middelheim Museum celebrates its 75th anniversary with a summer program focused not only on the collection but also on the visitor experience.

APPENDIX - 25 Artworks on the Flemish Top Masterpieces List

The Middelheim Museum's collection currently includes 25 Flemish Top Masterpieces, most of which are displayed in the sculpture park and the collection pavilion.

Pre-War Top Masterpieces
​• La Méditerranée (The Mediterranean) by Aristide Maillol (1902-1905) - sculpture park
​• Heraclès Archer (Hercules the Archer) by Emile-Antoine Bourdelle (1909) - sculpture park
​• La Vierge Folle (The Mad Virgin) by Rik Wouters (1912) - sculpture park

Top Masterpieces from the Period 1914-1945
​• Grand Cheval (The Big Horse) by Raymond Duchamp-Villon (1914) - sculpture park
​• Statue on Triangular Base by Alexander Archipenko (1914) - collection pavilion
​• Der Dreiklang (The Triad) by Rudolf Belling (1919) - sculpture park
​• Ensemble of five sculptures by Arturo Martini from the early 1930s: La Nena (The Girl) (1930), Donna al Sole (Woman in the Sun) (1930), Gare Invernali (Winter Sports) (1931-1932) in depot and La Lupa (The She-Wolf) (1930-1931) and Chiaro di Luna (Moonlight) (1931-1932) - collection pavilion
​• Océanide (Sea Nymph) by Henri Laurens (1933) - sculpture park
​• Le Prophète (The Prophet) by Pablo Gargallo (1933) - sculpture park
​• La Rivière (The River) by Aristide Maillol (1939-1943) - sculpture park

Top Masterpieces from the Period 1945-1968
​• La Mante (The Mantis) by Germaine Richier (1946) - sculpture park
​• Trois Coupes Superposées (Stacked Bowls) by Hans Arp (1947-1954) - sculpture park
​• Miracolo (Miracle) by Marino Marini (1951-1952) - sculpture park
​• Il Cardinale (The Cardinal) by Giacomo Manzù (1952) - sculpture park
​• Unendlichen Schleife (Endless Twist) by Max Bill (1953-1956) - sculpture park
​• Femme de Venise II (Venetian Woman II) by Alberto Giacometti (1956-1957) - collection pavilion
​• Encounter VIII by Lynn Chadwick (1957) - sculpture park
​• Cantate Domino by Barbara Hepworth (1958) - sculpture park
​• King and Queen by Henry Moore (1952-1953) - sculpture park
​• Le Chien (The Dog) by Alexander Calder (1958) - sculpture park

Top Masterpieces in the Collection Pavilion
​Some of the top masterpieces are too fragile to be displayed in the sculpture park, so they are housed in an open depot arrangement in the collection pavilion.

APPENDIX - Art in the City

The Middelheim Museum looks beyond just the park. Throughout Antwerp, sculptures can be found in public spaces. The Art in the City initiative manages this special art collection. It also sets up projects for new artworks that provoke thought about the importance of art in public spaces.

Critical Perspective
​What statue should we place on a pedestal today in the city? What meaning do old statues, standing on squares and street corners for decades, still hold? And how do we deal with monuments that we view differently today? Meanings and perspectives change over time. Do the artworks in public spaces align with how we now think about our society and history? Art in the City seeks suitable answers to these questions.

Art for Everyone
​Art in the City manages the public art collection of Antwerp: over 250 old and new artworks, statues, and monuments in public spaces. These works have been acquired with tax money or donated to the city. This art is for all of us and is free to view day and night. The artworks are important because they help define the city's appearance. Not only are they connected to their location, but they also give it meaning.

Sustainable Maintenance
​Just like the Middelheim Museum, Art in the City is an expert in the maintenance and restoration of outdoor sculptures. They are exposed daily to sun, weather, and wind. This shared expertise is utilized by Art in the City for the sustainable upkeep of the city’s artworks. Sculptures temporarily removed from public spaces are placed in the open-air depot at the museum so that they can still be seen.

Advisory Committee
​The collection of Art in the City expands each year. For new acquisitions or commissions, Art in the City provides artistic and technical advice to the city government. It also assists with other questions about art in public spaces, from districts or citizen initiatives.

APPENDIX - Practical Info

Contact Information

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