The Museum

Cultivating curiosity about fashion, making it more accessible to all.

Fashion is more than clothing, and more than “fashion”. It’s a prism to look at the world from different angles. One of the roles of a contemporary fashion museum is to push the meaning of the term “fashion” and move beyond the canonized narratives of fashion history. People need a place where fashion is subject to reflection and criticism. A haven to calmly observe the philosophy and dynamics behind fashion, its history and its future. A place to explore what fashion is, and what it does to us.

MoMu supports the diversity & gender equality policy of the city of Antwerp.

The collection consists of clothing, accessories, and textiles, as well as more unexpected pieces such as tools, machines for textile production, patterns, and fashion show invitations.

MoMu's collection policy focuses on the work of Belgian designers and alumni of the Fashion Department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Prominent names from the contemporary international fashion world are also represented in the collection.

The collection grows every year through acquisitions, loans, and numerous donations, and now consists of over 38,000 pieces. This makes the MoMu Collection the largest and most important collection of contemporary Belgian fashion in the world. The museum continually receives international loan requests for pieces from its designer collection.

MoMu's historical collection of Western European costume and textile is a continuation of the collection of the former Costume and Textile Museum Vrieselhof.

In 2011, the historical collection was enlarged with an important acquisition. Over 2,000 objects from the 18th, 19th, and first half of the 20th century were acquired from the private collection of Ms. Jacoba de Jonge, complementing the existing MoMu Collection.

In addition to the fashion and costume collection, the museum also houses a vast library collection. The MoMu Library is an academic library for historical and contemporary fashion, textiles, and ethnic costume. With over 15,000 books, an archive full of valuable reference works, hundreds of contemporary and historical magazines, and a fast-growing digital database of images, the MoMu Library is one of the top in its field worldwide.

In 2017, the study collection was added to the museum's collection. The study collection is a separate collection intended to teach visitors about fashion by allowing them to study objects up close. The study collection can be used for academic research, as teaching material, or for inspiration. It will be able for consultation from Autumn 2021.

The study collection comprises historical, contemporary and ethnic clothing, fragments and samples. This more accessible collection consists of a donation by Ms. Jacoba de Jonge, a long-term loan from the Department of Conservation-Restoration at the University of Antwerp and pieces from MoMu.

MoMu strives for sustainable development in all aspect of its operations. With regard to staff, visitors, the library, café, the collection, exhibitions and infrastructure, we continually look at how we can minimise our ecological footprint.

Sustainability starts with us. MoMu makes its employees aware of the role they have to play and the difference they can make. What's more, MoMu focuses on raising awareness among visitors about the importance of sustainable fashion through an eco-minded public outreach programme and library operations. Visitors can also enjoy delicious and ecologically-responsible food and coffee at the MoMu Café, which has made a conscious choice for plant-based products and zero waste. The MoMu collection is stored with consideration for the environment, and the scenographic designs of our exhibitions embody reuse as much as possible. MoMu is also committed to green energy and environmentally-friendly investments throughout the premises.