Museum Hof van Busleyden in Mechelen: rethinking the permanent exhibition

By Hannah Thijs, Head of Collections & Exhibitions

In 2022-2023, Museum Hof van Busleyden in Mechelen underwent a thorough restoration of the exterior of the building. The sixteenth-century city palace was forced to close its doors temporarily and took the opportunity to renew the permanent exhibition. A public survey was used to investigate visitors' experience of the museum and identify areas for improvement. Based on these results, the museum set to work on a renewed permanent display. Head of Collection & Exhibitions at Museum Hof van Busleyden, Hannah Thijs, explains the challenges the museum faced in this project, the choices that were made and the points of attention that guided the new concept and design.