Welcome to KMSKA:
Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen
Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp!
Dear students,
Tonight, we invite you to explore a remarkable museum that re-opened in 2022 after a restauration that took 11 years.
The result is a “future-proof” museum indeed, which perfectly fits our theme of the week: future -proof city trips. The museum has re-invented itself to become a place where the visitors of the past, the present and the future feel welcome.
Apart from showing an art collection, KMSKA wants to be a place of dialogue, a place where diversity is welcomed, where people from different backgrounds meet and explore art and culture together.
We invite you to wander through the museum, explore its fantastic art collection, and probably some more, because KMSKA likes to surprise its visitors!
The museum has 50 galleries…. Too much for one visit, so we have designed a fascinating itinerary for you, with each group starting in a different place.
The theme-names and numbers of the galleries will make sure you won’t get lost, but most of all we invite you to create your very own, unique, unforgettable “night at the museum” … WELCOME, and ENJOY!
In the main entrance hall (1st floor), go up the marble stairs
RUBENS (2.2)
The museum was built for these paintings, but these paintings were never made to end up in a museum... then where?
Do you see the huge painting in “Studio Rubens”? Why is it in horizontal position? And what about the camels in this room? They are part of “The 10” … A series of surprising creatures and installations, part of the KMSKA’s children itinerary (and adult children too…)
VR-room (2.8)
Not a single painting in this room…?!
But you can have a look in Rubens’s workshop: Take a headset and look around, up and down, look around you….and try to catch the cat! 😊
Room 2.4: “Power & Impotence”
Street art in the old museum? (Find the Basquiat painting)
Why did they put it here, in this gallery about power & impotence?
What is, to you, the story of this painting?
Go to room 2.5
Again, not a single painting! Sit down and simply watch….
What do you see? It’s all about details!
On the white panel you’ll discover the 4 top pieces the details are taken from.
Continue your visit through galleries 2.6, 2.7 and go to 2.9.
Gallery 2.9- “Image”
Welcome to the Facebook of the 17th century!
Art and status, image always have gone hand in hand… Most of the people in these portraits clearly take themselves very seriously…. What do you think of these “selfies”? And… are they all so serious indeed?
Find the Rembrandt… and his rather surprising neighbour!
What is the link between both paintings?
What do you think of this “bold juxtaposition”?
Gallery 2.10 – “Celebration”
What’s the surprise here? And why? No touching! 😊
Continue your visit trough galleries 2.12 and 2.13.
The SALON (2.14)
In the central part of the SALON take a seat…
Ask each other the following questions
What is ART, and what is its function to you?
Should ART be (always) beautiful?
SALON- HEROES (2.15)
Art can tell us a lot about humanity, about how human beings look at each other. Who were the heroes then? Who are the heroes of today?
MADONNA (2.17)
This Madonna is “The Mona Lisa of the KMSKA” … what an intriguing painting… Is it old? Is it modern? Is it religious, erotic…or both?
You can change its colours! (use the interactive screens)
Discover the “museum within the museum”!
This “new” museum is invisible from the outside….
Find the maquette/scale model and see how they built this “Lego-like” miracle!
Moreover, in the new museum, be prepared for some artistic “crossovers” … because every Thursday evening, the museum opens its doors till 10 pm and invites its “artists in residence” to come and treat the visitor to music…and more! Make sure you find them during your visit!
1st FLOOR
Gallery “LIGHT”
This room is all about LIGHT, but you’ll find some darker pieces too.
Which piece represents LIGHT to you most?
What do you think of the “dark field” by Günther Uecker?
Walk past it and see what happens… how does it change?
Conflict painting: it’s all about colour
One of the most “Instagrammed” places of the whole museum… can you see why? Can you link this room (which is a piece of art in itself) to ACEEPT?
You can go in and take a picture, but only in small groups and please don’t touch the walls! Make sure to post your picture (hashtag ACEEPT!)
Find the stairway to heaven and go all the way up to the 4th floor!
4th FLOOR
Gallery FORM/ SHAPE
On this floor, its’s all about dialogue, meet & greet!
Present yourself with a painting:
Walk around freely…. Which painting or sculpture are you drawn to or tells us something about you? Share the painting with your team members …
Gallery COLOUR
How well do you know your team members? Find a painting for each other! Or find a painting that goes well with the whole team…
Can you come to an agreement? 😊
3d FLOOR
On this dark, night blue floor, full of architectural surprises, you float between the 2nd the 4th floor… take a picture that captures the architecture and the atmosphere!
Find the Expo: “To Gigi”
This very eclectic private collection of 131 works was donated to the museum… and thank you very much indeed! If you could each choose a piece to take home…. Which one would it be, and why?
How do you look back on your “night at the museum”?
How has this museum surprised and inspired you? What did you like most?
What makes the museum future-proof indeed?
Link to Customer Cycle- “sharing”: Post your 3 favourite pictures… including one group picture!
! HASHTAG KMSKA koninklijk museum voor schone kunsten antwerpen
Thank you for visiting KMSKA!