The Naturalia and Mirabilia collection continues the tradition of early modern cabinets of art and curiosities. It brings together natural history specimens and curiosities, ranging from meteorites to supposed mermaids. The undisputed highlight is the monumental T. rex Trinity, a 293-piece skeleton.

The Japanese Textiles collection offers an exceptional glimpse into the complex culture and history of the Land of the Rising Sun. The (wartime) kimonos and accompanying fabrics are rare even in Japan and demonstrate how tradition, craftsmanship and identity are interwoven in textiles. Each piece attests to a meticulous mastery of technique and symbolism.

This collection comprises hundreds of books tracing the (after)life of this legendary folk figure through the centuries. It offers a unique insight into the literary and cultural reception of one of the most famous tricksters in the European tradition.

This collection brings together personal objects and mementos of historical figures who defined their era. From a child’s dress belonging to Empress Elisabeth (‘Sisi’) to a lock of Napoleon’s hair or a piece of Marie-Antoinette’s gown, each object reveals and tells a story of power, fame, ephemerality and remembrance.

The art of the fifteenth to the seventeenth century forms the historical heart of the collection. It includes paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, prints, drawings, tapestries and decorative objects, primarily of Southern Netherlandish origin. Among the highlights are works by Hugo Van der Goes, Hans Memling, Gerard David, Pieter Bruegel the Elder and his sons Jan I and Pieter II, Maerten De Vos, Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony Van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens.

The Contemporary Art collection unites international and Belgian artists who explore the boundaries of material and form. In the Singelberg Sculpture Park along the River Scheldt stand works by Sophie Ryder, Pablo Atchugarry, Atelier Van Lieshout, Hubert Minnebo and Wim Delvoye. The broader collection includes works by Marcel Broodthaers, Jan Fabre, Anselm Kiefer and artists of the ZERO movement, such as Yves Klein, Otto Piene, Piero Manzoni and Lucio Fontana.

The CoBrA collection is among the most comprehensive in the world and focuses on the pioneering years of the movement. It includes works by Karel Appel, Pierre Alechinsky, Corneille, Asger Jorn and Christian Dotremont. It comprises not only paintings and drawings, but also prints, sculptures, applied arts, and even a rare painted piano. The collection is open to the public at the CoBrA Depot in Antwerp.

The Belgian Art collection highlights the flourishing artistic output between 1880 and 1930, with a particular focus on the artists of Sint Martens-Latem. It includes works by Emile Claus, Gustave Van de Woestyne, Valerius De Saedeleer and George Minne, as well as Expressionists such as Gust. De Smet, Constant Permeke and Frits Van den Berghe. The collection also features important works by Rik Wouters, James Ensor, Jules Schmalzigaug, Edgard Tytgat, René Magritte and Paul Delvaux.

Colonial art from the New World forms a bridge between the European Old Masters and modern Latin American art. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Antwerp played a crucial role as a hub for prints and paintings that took on new meanings overseas. In the colonies, European visual traditions merged with indigenous influences, resulting in a unique visual language imbued with faith, identity and intercultural imagination.

The private collection of the Argentine artist Antonio Seguí constitutes a special component, containing ethnographic and pre-Columbian objects from Africa and Latin America that he personally collected and used as direct sources of inspiration for his sculptures, paintings and graphic work. Together, they reveal the close interaction between his artistic practice and the cultures he admired.

The Topography and Cartography collection comprises more than four hundred maps, atlases and cityscapes dating from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. Highlights include rare editions by Gerard Mercator, Abraham Ortelius and Petrus Kaerius, as well as the fully hand-coloured Atlas Maior by Willem Jansz. Blaeu — an eleven-volume series containing 592 maps, which was the most expensive publication of the seventeenth century.

The Fashion and Lace collection reflects five centuries of textile history and craftsmanship. It comprises around four hundred objects, ranging from sixteenth-century reticella fragments and Van Dyck trimmings to bridal veils, war lace and nineteenth-century Valenciennes lace. The Phoebus Foundation also holds an extensive collection of historical women’s and men’s clothing, including gowns, ensembles, cloaks, corsets and accessories from the eighteenth to the early twentieth century. These pieces not only illustrate the evolution of styles and silhouettes but also reflect the social and economic significance of fashion in Europe.

The Maritime and Logistics Heritage collection documents the history of the port of Antwerp and its workers. It comprises more than seven hundred objects — from handcarts and tractors to the monumental Antigone crane — all carefully maintained by a dedicated team of volunteers. The collection also includes around 250,000 historical photographs that capture daily life in and around the port.