The ‘Museum at Home’ initiative, showcasing works from the Ixelles Museum in private homes, will culminate with its tenth edition on 3 December in Brussels.
On that day, ten residents of Ixelles’ Sceptre-Couronne district will welcome the public into their homes from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. to view works by Belgian artists such as Privat Livemont, Louis Van Lint, and Fauvist Rik Wouters.
Co-created in 2018 by the Ixelles Museum and the non-profit ‘Heritage on Wheels’ organisation, the initiative is part of the ‘Athénée Sustainable Neighbourhood Contract’ project in Ixelles.
The project began as the municipal museum underwent extensive expansion and renovation works, with the aim of reinventing itself by involving the public.
Twice a year, Ixelles residents have hosted the museum’s artwork in their homes, opening their doors at weekend to friends, family and the public.
In this intimate setting, the artworks were rediscovered through the inventive gaze of their hosts, challenging conventional ideas about art and the museum’s role, stimulating critical and passionate debates.
Around 92 households have hosted artwork, giving the project a lasting impact, according to the Ixelles Museum.
The success of the project, which has attracted more than 1,600 visitors so far, was recognised in 2021 by the prestigious European Art Explora Prize awarded by the Academy of Fine Arts in France.
The concept has also successfully spread to Belgium’s coast, where it has been applied by the Mu.ZEE museum in Ostend, and to the Netherlands (Museum Jan Cunen, Oss).
