Acceleration: the port of Antwerp between 1880 and now

In the Hessenhuis, under the title 'Acceleration', there is an exhibition about the port of Antwerp between 1880 and now, a period of great growth. The history of the port is presented on the basis of the themes of labour, port infrastructure and organisation. In the same period, the Folklore Museum has an exhibition about 'Daily life on the harbour side'. In the National Maritime Museum, emigration is highlighted in 'Emigrants. Antwerp, crossroads of coming and going (1843-1930)'.nExhibition: Acceleration gives an impression of the traditional port on the ground floor and the first floor of the Hessenhuis. Old maps, prints, paintings, models, posters, film footage and authentic old tools evoke the atmosphere of yesteryear. Next to the Hessenhuis, an old hand crane and a crane truck of a nation are on display. The centrepiece of this exhibition is the almost 10-metre-long panoramic map of Antwerp that was made in 1913 by the Hypsos drawing office. It was incorporated into an interactive programme. The visitor can take a virtual walk through the map via screens and request all possible information about each building or street, e.g. who lived there, what was performed in the theatres, etc. As a counterpart, a new film is shown on the second floor that captures the gigantic expanse of the contemporary port in images.