Antwerp's Royal Museum of Fine Arts

Abstract

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium, reopened after an 11‐year renovation. In addition to completely cleaning the exterior façade of the neoclassical building, a new, modern wing was built inside former internal courtyards—a glossy, white cube with very high ceilings and a dramatic 100+ step flight of stairs. The historical part of the museum was also fully renovated to its original grandeur. The collection was reinstalled, and the overall interpretive strategy focused on making the art approachable to a multigenerational and multicultural visitorship: Eschewing chronology, paintings are grouped by themes, texts are user‐friendly and encourage interactive experiences, and special activities are available for children. Short videos are also available in some galleries that provide context, explain specific art techniques, or contain games. A wide range of experiences is available to museum users, somewhat consistent with an approach proposed by the Smithsonian Institution's IPOP framework. The reviewer found the reinstallation and related user experiences a relevant, people‐oriented model for 21st century art museums.