The building’s facade is made of red sandstone from India, selected to contrast with the surrounding water.
The 3,185 cast-aluminum hands covering the exterior were created by artist Tom Liekens.
The museum stands on the site of the former Hanzehuis, a 16th-century warehouse that burned down in 1893.
The building structure is rotated 90 degrees at each level, creating a spiraling effect as one climbs.
The museum contains a massive collection of over 500,000 objects, though only a small fraction is displayed at once.
The roof terrace is accessible to the public for free, even outside of normal museum operating hours.
The interior glass panels are curved to distort the view of the city, intending to offer a 'new perspective' on Antwerp.
The MAS (Museum aan de Stroom) is a ten-story tower in Antwerp’s Eilandje district, distinguished by its red Indian sandstone cladding and glass-paneled winding staircase. The museum focuses on Antwerp’s historical connection to the world through maritime trade, art, and cultural exchange. Its permanent exhibition explores themes of international shipping, pre-Columbian art, and the city’s complex history. The building is designed as a vertical city street, featuring a spiraling route that connects internal galleries. A free public roof terrace provides panoramic views of the Scheldt River and the city harbor. The facade features over 3,000 aluminum hands, a symbolic nod to the legend of Antwerp’s name, 'Antwerpen' or 'hand-werpen'. It functions as both a heritage institution and a contemporary architectural landmark.
The glass-enclosed escalator levels provide a unique, distorted framing of the Antwerp port and skyline.
Head directly to the roof terrace first to orient yourself with the city layout before browsing the exhibits.
Use the glass-enclosed escalators to experience the city views as you transition between museum levels.
Check the temporary exhibition schedule online in advance, as these rotate frequently throughout the year.
Do not mistake the public roof terrace for part of the paid exhibit area; you can access the terrace without a ticket.
Closed on Mondays.
