KMSKA

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA) celebrated its reopening in 2022, after a lengthy restoration and expansion project. But how did this 19th-century building arise? The seventh edition of the exhibition series Unfolding the Archives provides an insight into how the then young architects Jean-Jacques Winders and Frans Van Dijk designed the KMSKA. Unique objects, photos, archival material and several masterpieces take you back to the 1884 design.

It is not only the KMSKA’s collection that is outstanding: the building is a masterpiece in its own right. One that played an crucial role in the urban development of Antwerp’s new Zuid district. The museum is a symbol of Antwerp’s expansion and modernisation during the 19th century, which saw the creation of the city’s characteristically wide avenues, parks and public gardens. The KMSKA is one of several prominent buildings with public functions, such as the National Bank, the Court of Justice and the Central Station. Each of which is a meticulously conceived and image-defining edifice. Numerous European cities evolved along similar lines, including Berlin, Vienna and Amsterdam. The exhibition situates the KMSKA within an historical and international perspective.

Opening: 22.10.2024, 8 pm