I had no idea that this museum even existed! Thanks to the social media and the exhibition which was advertised, I got to know this place. The permanent collection was very interesting. Loved the exhibition. The facilities were fine. The building is very close to Grote Markt where you can park your car in the underground parking.

A large and particularly attractive Renaissance complex built for the wealthy Busleyden family in the early seventeenth century. For many years, this palatial complex was home to the Berg van Barmhartigheid (Mountain of Charity), which provided interest-free loans to Mechelen’s poor, but the building was badly damaged in World War I and subsequently passed to the city.

The museum has an excellent array of exhibits but has opted for a rather minimalistic approach in a very confusing layout. While worth visiting, I think it might be better oriented towards families, having many children-friendly exhibits.