Middelheim named one of Europe's most magnificent sculpture parks
Middelheim's sculpture park has been listed among Europe's 10 best sculpture parks by the British newspaper The Guardian. The park, which was created in 1950 as a temporary exhibition, became permanent and is now home to one of the largest collections of open-air sculptures in the world.
The collection at the Middelheim museum includes around 400 works and reflects over half a century of assembly and development. Top pieces from artists ranging from Rodin to Richard Deacon can be found in 310 hectares of green on the outskirts of Antwerp. The works cover the period from 1900 to the present day and are a wonderful overview of international modern and contemporary art. The collection continues to develop each year.
Over 200 works of art are featured under the park's grand trees, alongside wide paths and upon inviting lawns. Visitors will discover the works of great names such as Auguste Rodin, Rik Wouters, Henry Moore, Juan Muñoz, Carl Andre, Panamarenko, Franz West, Erwin Wurm, Chris Burden, Dan Graham, Ai Weiwei, Roman Signer, and plenty more besides. Each piece is an artistic highlight in its own right and illustrates a particular style or evolution in the art of sculpture. A walk in Middelheim park is therefore an opportunity to gain a unique insight into over 100 years of visual arts.
In addition to the works on show in the museum park there are also very regular solo and group exhibitions, during which statues in the collection are displayed according to themes. The park itself is also a lovely example of landscape art.