An atypical collection
Most museums start from “the story behind the object”, but at the Red Star Line Museum it’s the other way around. Objects serve to better understand or illustrate the story. To enrich these stories, the museum collaborates with other city collections and with the Friends of the Red Star Line, who preserve the unique collection of collector Robert Vervoort.
The Red Star Line Museum continues to actively seek new stories, objects, and documents connected to migration. Anyone wishing to share a personal story or memory can donate it to the museum and help preserve migration stories for the future.
In the museum
In the museum, you literally follow in the footsteps of millions of migrants. The permanent exhibition takes you through the various stages of their journey: from departure in the home country and arrival in Antwerp to the crossing to America. Across two floors, atmospheric installations, authentic objects, and personal documents bring the travel experience of Red Star Line passengers to life.
Six key witnesses take centre stage. Their personal stories give a human face to the history of migration. Among them are well-known figures such as Albert Einstein, as well as lesser-known passengers like Sonia Pressman Fuentes, Morris Moel, and the Hutlet family.
Highlights of the historical collections include posters, brochures, and postcards from the Red Star Line shipping company. Numerous Antwerp artists also have a permanent place in the museum. The coming and going of migrants has been immortalised in drawings, paintings, and writings by many artists.
Finally, you can discover the Table of Antwerp, where contemporary migrants share their experiences. Their voices show how migration continues to shape the face of Antwerp today and how important it is to keep telling their stories.
