Taxandria Museum

Taxandria Museum is a regional history museum in Turnhout, in the Belgian province of Antwerp, housed inside a historic building known as "Huis metten Thoren" (House with the Tower). This 16th-century townhouse is the second-oldest bourgeois residence in the city and for centuries accommodated some of Turnhout's most prominent citizens before becoming home to the museum.

Where does the museum's name come from?

The museum takes its name from Taxandria, the historical region roughly corresponding to today's Kempen area, straddling the border between northern Belgium and the southern Netherlands. It was this same name that the Taxandria archaeological society adopted when it was founded in 1903, dedicated to researching and documenting the history and heritage of the Kempen region. Over the following decades the society built up a substantial collection of historical, archaeological and artistic objects, which it donated to the city of Turnhout in 1931. That donation became the foundation of today's museum, and the Taxandria society itself is still headquartered in the very same building.

What is on display inside?

The museum's main permanent exhibition is called "Hotel Taxandria". The concept is built around the idea of a fictional hotel whose rooms are occupied by archetypal figures connected to the history of Turnhout and the wider Kempen region — among them a tower keeper and an archaeologist. Each of these "hotel guests" tells visitors their own story through anecdotes and objects drawn from the museum's art and history collection.

Among the collection's standout pieces is a 17th-century bible: a lavishly bound volume so large and heavy that moving it is often compared to a weightlifter's job. Another notable item is a bronze statue of Bacchus, more than two thousand years old, yet remarkably well preserved for its age.

What role does the building itself play?

The "Huis metten Thoren" building is as much a part of the visitor experience as the collection it houses. As the second-oldest bourgeois house in Turnhout, the structure is a tangible trace of the city's centuries-long history and of the role once played by its wealthy merchant families. Today the building serves not only as an exhibition space but also as an archive — it houses Turnhout's municipal historical archive, making it an important reference point for researchers of local history as well as residents looking into the past of their city and region.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Taxandria Museum located? The museum is located in the center of Turnhout, in the Belgian province of Antwerp, inside the historic "Huis metten Thoren" building.

What does the name "Taxandria" mean? It is the historical name of the region roughly corresponding to today's Kempen, on the Belgium-Netherlands border — the name behind both the archaeological society founded in 1903 and the museum itself.

What is the museum's main exhibition? The permanent exhibition "Hotel Taxandria", in which archetypal figures — such as a tower keeper and an archaeologist — tell the story of Turnhout and the Kempen region through objects from the collection.

Is there anything else in the museum building besides the exhibition? Yes, the same building also houses Turnhout's municipal historical archive, and the Taxandria society is still headquartered there.