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Museum Butchers’ Hall

Museum Butchers’ Hall

Attention
Museum closed for restoration
Museum Vleeshuis is closed for a long time for restoration. The works will start in 2025. Both the outer shell and the interior of the monument and museum will be thoroughly tackled.

Under the title ‘Sounds of the City’, Museum Butchers’ Hall brings 800 years of music and dance back to life. With instruments, prints, texts and models, the museum tells the stories of musicians, carillonneurs, opera singers, instrument makers and dancers. The collection opens up the world behind the music.

Sounds of the City
Museum Butchers’ Hall introduces you to the musical past and present of the city, while aiming to be more than just a traditional instrument museum. With the ‘Sounds of the City’, the museum not only displays a varied range of musical instruments, but also lets you hear and experience the music. Music from the street, from the dance houses, from the bell tower, from churches or from concert halls,… The Museum Butchers’ Hall celebrates all sounds.

Music studios and stages
Without instrument makers and scores there is no music, and without a stage there is no audience. That’s why you’ll discover how music printing started and you’ll have a peek inside an instrument workshop and at the opera and concert halls of yesteryear, such as the Almoezenierstheater and the Bourla.

Musical life
‘Sounds of the City’ wants to tell the broad story behind the music. After all, music still plays an important role in the social life of the city. It was used by the church and the army during feasts and parades and it brought not only amusement but also structure to everyday life.

3 reasons why this is worth your visit

  • In Museum Butchers’ Hall you will find several masterpieces from Flemish music history, including the storm clock Orida (from 1316).
  • ‘Sounds of the City’ also allows you to hear how music sounded in the old days.
  • Museum Butchers’ Hall preserves and exhibits one of the most important collections of Antwerp harpsichords in the world.

Museum tickets

Activities and guided tours

School offers