ANTWERP BOAT MUSEUM - Fall 2007 Visits

Antwerp's famous Steen Castle on the waterfront houses the National Maritime Museum (Nationaal scheepvaartmuseum). Next to the Steen is a continuous series of ornately trimmed metal sheds that face, and are open to, the street. Here, for no admission fee, one can visit the Maritime Park or "Museum on the River" (“Museum aan de Stroom” or MAS). Housed under its long roof are beautifully restored and preserved real ships and boats from Antwerp's maritime past. Most prominent as one enters this sheltered park is the large "iron tow barge" named Lauranda. It appears that it is possible to tour inside this barge, but it was either closed or we were short of time, so did not enter. Throughout the canal areas we visited in Europe, we saw numerous "live-aboard" barges ranging from rather crude budget conversions to elegant floating homes. Patrick continues with the fantasy of having such a floating home docked in some quaint canal area in Europe, but available to move elsewhere should the need or interest arise.

Presented below (without captions) are all the photos Patrick and Keith Wheeler took at the MAS during our brief 11 September visit (6 upper thumbnails) and our longer 6 October visit (the larger 35 image collection).