MAS - Museum aan de Stroom

The MAS, short for Museum aan de Stroom, stands at Hanzestedenplaats 1 in the Eilandje district of Antwerp, in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The tower is built of red Indian sandstone with curved glass panels and stacks of boxlike galleries around a central escalator spine, and it tells the story of Antwerp as a port city and its links to the wider world. Exhibitions cover the port, maritime history, world cultures, folk traditions and religion, with temporary shows in addition to the permanent displays. Visitors usually spend between one and a half and two hours inside. The most popular feature is the rooftop terrace, which is free to enter and gives a 360-degree view across Antwerp, taking in the cathedral spire, the docks and the Scheldt. The escalators rise through the museum floor by floor, so the climb to the top doubles as a route through the galleries. Late afternoon is a favourite time to go up for sunset photographs, but this is also when the terrace is busiest, so arriving shortly after opening is calmer. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00 and closed on Mondays. Adult tickets cost roughly EUR 13, and visitors under 19 are admitted free, though prices should be confirmed on mas.be. The area around the museum has been redeveloped with cafes and the Red Star Line Museum nearby. Trams 7 and 24 stop at Droogdok close to the entrance, and the walk from the cathedral takes about 15 minutes through the harbour district.