At the end of the 19th century, Antwerp art connoisseur Fritz Mayer van den Bergh built up a unique art collection: from Pieter Bruegel's “Mad Meg” and Flemish Primitives to medieval sculptures and applied artworks such as jewellery, porcelain and netsuke.
In 1901, Fritz died at the age of just 43. After his death, his mother Henriëtte realised her son's great dream: she had an intimate house museum built next to the family home to display his collection.
Guest at the Maagdenhuis
The museum building is closed for renovation, but you can admire a large part of the collection in the nearby Maagdenhuis: Lange Gasthuisstraat 33, 2000 Antwerp. In the exhibition “Beloved. An intimate look at masterpieces”, you can (re)discover an impressive selection of his collection, such as Bruegel's masterpiece “Mad Meg”, “Calvary with Donors” by Quinten Massys and the beautiful “Christ and Saint John the Evangelist” sculpture by master Heinrich von Konstanz.
A future city palace
In the future, there will be much more to admire at Museum Mayer van den Bergh. The historical museum is to be reunited with the family's former home. As a visitor, this will give you more space to fully immerse yourself in this fascinating collection.
Explore the neighbourhood
Step outside the museum and in no time at all, you will see the cosy cafes and restaurants of the Mechelseplein beckoning you in. The Botanical Garden is also nearby.
Museum Mayer van den Bergh
Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The museum building is closed for renovation, but you can still visit us at the nearby Maagdenhuis: Lange Gasthuisstraat 33, 2000 Antwerp. In the exhibition Beloved. An intimate look at masterpieces, you will discover 90 highlights from the collection, such as Bruegel's world-famous Mad Meg.