Museum Smidt van Gelder, Beaux-Arts townhouse museum in Belgiëlei, Belgium.
Museum Smidt van Gelder is a Beaux-Arts townhouse in Antwerp featuring ornate architectural details, decorative elements, and formal gardens designed by Georges Wachtelaer. The building houses a collection of artworks and objects arranged throughout its elegant rooms.
The house was built in 1905 as Hotel Thys for banker Edouard Thys and later purchased in 1937 by Pieter Smidt van Gelder to house his art collection. A fire in 1987 damaged the building significantly and caused parts of the collection to be distributed to other museums.
The museum displays European decorative objects from several centuries, presented throughout the residence to show the collecting passion of its former owner. Visitors can encounter furniture, paintings, books, ceramics, porcelain, and glass spanning 1600 to 1900, understanding how such items shaped the lives of the wealthy classes.
The building is protected and underwent comprehensive restoration starting in 2022, with new elevators, ventilation systems, and safety measures installed. Visitors should expect possible limitations or changes in accessibility as the work remains ongoing.
Valuable book bindings from the collection were moved to Antwerp City Library after the 1987 fire and remain housed there. This makes the library a place to explore additional treasures from the collection.
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