Middelheim Park in Antwerp offers visitors a unique journey through more than a century of sculptural art. Covering 67 acres (27 hectares), the park features over 200 statues and sculptures, presenting a rich variety of artistic expression.
The park’s history as a hub for sculpture began in 1950 with a temporary exhibition. Its great success led the city to make it a permanent space. Since then, numerous works have been added, turning the park into an open-air museum.
In the Middelheim-Hoog section, you’ll find wide open spaces with works by renowned artists such as Auguste Rodin’s Monument to Balzac and Henry Moore’s King and Queen. Contemporary pieces are also well represented, like Cory McCorkle’s monumental sphere Yayoi and Erwin Wurm’s thought-provoking boat sculpture Misconceivable.
The smaller Middelheim-Laag section showcases bold, experimental contemporary art that challenges traditional notions of form and structure. In case of bad weather, visitors can take shelter in the Braem Pavilion in the Middelheim-Haag section, which also hosts several sculptures.
Next to the pavilion stands Castle Middelheim, a 15th-century farmhouse converted into a Louis XVI-style castle. It houses the visitor center and a restaurant, offering a place to rest and reflect.
Sources. Story: Source Story: Photos: Source Photo: Jules Grandgagnage, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
