Agenda: art, food and drinks, sight, kids and wellness in Ostend
The Crystal Ship 2020 - postponed
The Crystal Ship 2020 (03-19/04) will be postponed due to the recent developments concering COVID-19. Keep an eye on our website for more information about the new dates!
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An unfinished symphony. Polyphony in the collection.
Mu.ZEE launched a collection valuation process in November 2018. Mu.ZEE employees thoroughly went through and examined part of the museum’s collection in collaboration with various partners in the socio-cultural field. The significance of the collection and how various works of art are of value to the museum were reflected on and contemplated. In the autumn of 2019, Mu.ZEE will review the outcomes of this participatory project. The results achieved will be presented at an exhibition that provides a splendid perspective into the museum's activities and collection, along with a host of new issues and rationales that sweep the public along on a journey through Mu.ZEE’s history and its future. What does it mean to value a collection? Which criteria do we adopt during this type of valuation process? What do we know and how should we proceed? The museum's mission and vision are what shape the theoretical framework of the valuation project. As a museum of modern and contemporary art in Belgium, we have a role to play in society. By valuing our works of art, we imbue these creations with meaning and contextualise them. We raise awareness about our artworks and attempt to come up with new interpretations and connections that we can present to visitors through exhibitions and digital access to the collection. On the one hand, our valuation was carried out by an internal valuations team, while on the other, Mu.ZEE relied on an external sounding board that is part of its broader network. We are interested in telling you about the participatory approach we adopted for this pilot project. But above all, we would like to invite you personally to help us value a work of art or an ensemble. Because valuation isn't just the task of a single person...
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Dikke Mathille
The Leopold II-laan curves gracefully around the most famous sculpture of a woman in Oostende: De Zee (The Sea). Although Reclining Nude is another name for this lady the locals always refer to her as ‘Dikke Mathille’ (Fat Mathille). Grard emphasised the volume of the full, round forms. In De Zee he portrayed the opulence and sensuality of the sea in a female figure. Until 1963 the work of art adorned the Kursaal Casino.
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Railway station Oostende
Eclectic station complex consisting of a central entrance hall flanked by two square "Tower buildings". On the left side adjacent to the station the former "Hotel Terminus Maritime".
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Sint-Petrus- en Sint-Paulus Church
The church St.-Petrus- and Paulus is a neogotic church built in 1907 which consists of beautiful stained-glass windows. The tomb of Louise-Marie, the queen of Belgium who deceased in Oostende, is situated in the chapel of the main altar (only to be visited upon request). The St.-Pieter's Tower, also called 'Peperbusse' in local dialect, is situated behind the church St. Petrus- and Paulus. Once it was part of the ancient St. Pieterskerk that burned down last century.
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Lighthouse Lange Nelle
Lighthouse "Lange Nelle" : The famous lighthouse is the fourth one in the history of Oostende and the third one on this location. It was built between 1947 and 1949, rises 65 metres above the sea and guides the fishermen safely in the Ostend harbour. The lighthouse is not open to the public.
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Kursaal Oostende
The building dominates the view at the Albert I promenade. The Casino, a design by Leon Stynen (1953) stands on the spot where in 1875 the first casino already stood. The latter was destroyed during WWII. After the war it would still be eight years before the current building was erected. This strikingly large building can boast being the largest in Belgium and is a typical example of modernism. The eye-catchers are of course the murals by Paul Delvaux. On 17th December 2004, the renovated...
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Seamen's Memorial
The Seamen's Memorial (1953) can be found on the Zeeheldenplein. Each year the numerous fishermen from Oostende who died at sea are commemorated. This was also the location of the first lighthouse in Oostende (1771).
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Floral Clock
Floral Clock. A special creation in which a total number of about 20 000 plants are used to form a unique palette of colour. The date - made of flowers - is adjusted every day during the summer months.
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