Happy Birthday Dear Academie

Accessible Travel Info Point

Happy Birthday Dear Academie Guide for visitors with a disability

© www.milo-profi.com

Last update: june 2013

© Accessible Travel Info Point – Tourism Flanders  Grasmarkt 61, 1000 Brussels  +32 2 504 03 40 -  +32 504 04 05  www.accessinfo.be -  post@accessinfo.be

Table of contents

1.

Wheelchair accessible accommodations ............................................................................................... 4

2.

Happy Birthday Dear Academy Events ................................................................................................... 5

3.

Other excursions in Antwerp .................................................................................................................. 7

4.

Transport.................................................................................................................................................. 10

5.

Useful adresses and links ....................................................................................................................... 11

Introduction Antwerp is the place to be for fashion lovers. Today, tomorrow and especially as from September 2013! The Royal Academy of Fine Arts then celebrate its 350th birthday, the fashion department celebrates its 50th birthday. Enough reasons to highlight Antwerp as fashion city and to announce the celebration “Happy Birthday Dear Academy”.

The double birthday is celebrated with different exhibitions and activities through Antwerp: exhibitions in the MAS and MoMu, new works of art on the streets and squares and exhibitions and events on the dazzling site of the Academy.

Book publications, a project in the MUHKA, a symposium about higher artistic studies, a city walk and a patrimony project about the traces of the Academy in Antwerp, are an additional enrichment. Most activities take place between September 2013 and January 2014.

This publication gives an overview of the possibilities for people with a disability who want to explore Antwerp as a fashion city and who want to take part in the activities as part of Happy Birthday Dear Academy.

The Accessible Travel Info Point of Tourism Flanders gathers information about the accessibility of accommodations, museums, excursion possibilities etc. for people with a disability. This information is always based on objective professional enquiry but also on the positive experiences of visitors with a disability.

Do you have questions about travelling with a disability or do you want to share your own experience and tips? You can always contact the Accessible Travel Info Point.

© www.milo-profi.com

1. Wheelchair accessible accommodations In Flanders and Brussels, the wheelchair accessible accommodations can be recognized by the A or A+ label.

The brochure ‘All In, accessible holiday accommodations in Flanders and Brussels’, published by the Accessible Travel Info Point, gives you a complete overview of every holiday accommodation with an A (basic accessibility) or A+(comfortable accessibility) label.

The brochure informs you in detail on what you can expect concerning accessibility. From the front door to the smallest room, everything has been examined and judged professionally on the spot.

You can download or glance through the brochure on www.accessinfo.be  Publications. If you prefer a printed version, the Accessible Travel Info Point will gladly send you one for free.

In Antwerp, the following accommodations have an A label. You can find more information about the accommodation when you click on the name.

Hilton Antwerp Groenplaats 32 2000 Antwerpen  +32 3 204 12 12  +32 3 204 12 13  antwerp.sales@hilton.com  www.hilton.nl/antwerpen

Ibis Styles Antwerpen City Center Koningin Astridplein 43 2018 Antwerpen  +32 3 609 44 44  +32 3 609 44 99  h8023@accor.com  www.ibisstyles.com

Holiday Inn Express Antwerp City-North Italiëlei 2a 2000 Antwerpen  +32 3 221 49 49  +32 3 221 49 44  info@hiexantwerp.com  www.hiexantwerp.com

Hostel Pulcinella Bogaardeplein 1 2000 Antwerpen  +32 3 234 03 14  +32 3 234 10 67  antwerpen@vjh.be  www.vjh.be

2. Happy Birthday Dear Academy Events The events for Happy Birthday Dear Academy take place at following locations: MUHKA – Museum of contemporary art Antwerp, MAS Museum at the stream and MOMU – Fashionmuseum Antwerp.

You can find all information concerning the events on www.happybirthdaydearacademie.be/new/eng.

The MOMU and MUKHA have been screened by an accessibility office. All the objective accessibility data can be found by clicking on the name of the location or on the website www.toevla.be (available in Dutch only).

The information about the other locations comes from the owners themselves and the experiences from other people with a disability.

For the greater part, you’ll have to see for yourself whether or not something is accessible. After all, every disability or limitation is different. We advise you to contact the mentioned locations in advance to gather specific information from your own expectations.

MUHKA – Museum of contemporary art Antwerp

Leuvenstraat 32 2000 Antwerp +32 3 260 99 99 info@muhka.be  www.muhka.be

The museum of contemporary art is located in the centre of Antwerp.

The exhibitions in the MUHKA change frequently. They take place in the different exhibition rooms.

These rooms can be reached by stairs or by lift. On the ground floor, there is an adapted toilet.

There is a small doorstep at the main entrance. The door is rather heavy to open by yourself. There is a button to ask for assistance. The lift doors are only 80 cm wide, and the lifts are rather small for some wheelchair users. The café and the terrace are accessible, but the tables are not fully adapted to wheelchairs.

MAS Museum at the stream

Hanzestedenplaats 1 2000 Antwerp

+32 3 338 44 00 mas@stad.antwerpen.be  www.mas.be Patrimony forum in Antwerp with theme tales about the stream, the city, the port and the world.

A MAS guide will take you to the desired floor with the lift. The panorama (+10) is only accessible through stairs, but the terrace at +9 is accessible for wheelchairs. There are special guided tours for people with a visual or auditory disability. A deaf loop system is provided at the reception. A CD for a Daisy player can be borrowed at the reception as well. There is an accessible toilet and 4 wheelchairs are available.

MOMU – Fashion museum Antwerp

Nationalestraat 28 2000 Antwerp +32 3 470 27 70 info@momu.be.be  www.momu.be You will find the Fashion Museum in the heart of the city, close to the Groenplaats. From the beginning, the Fashion Museum had a dynamic view that exceeds the character of a regular museum.

No fixed organization of the own collection, but changing thematic exhibitions about a designer or a fashion related topic, each time with pieces from the own collection completed with lent pieces.

The museum is accessible by public transport or by car (sufficient car parks in direct neighborhood).

The access roads from the Nationalestraat and Drukkerijstraat are from flat cobalt stones and are sufficiently wide. Automatic sliding doors give access to the museum. There is a lift that deserves every floor. The lift doors are only 80 cm wide, and the lifts are rather small for some wheelchair users. The museum is on the second floor.

An adapted toilet is available in the basement. The transfer space next to the toilet is rather limited.

© Antwerpen Toerisme & Congres - fotograaf Jan Crab

3. Other excursions in Antwerp Do you want to discover more of Antwerp? Here are some more tips for other excursions.

Aquatopia Koningin Astridplein7 2018Antwerpen +32 3 205 07 40 info@aquatopia.be www.aquatopia.be In Aquatopia, you travel through tropical rain forests, streams, rivers, underwater caves, coral reefs up to the bottom of the ocean and you get to know more than 10.000 fish and sea mammals.

Aquatopia is wheelchair accessible and disposes of two wheelchairs. You can get more information about the availability of those wheelchairs at the telephone number +32(0)3 201 07 50.

Photo Museum Waalsekaai 47 2000 Antwerpen +32 3 242 93 00 info@fomu.be www.fotomuseum.be This exceptionally dynamic and ambitious Photo Museum does not only exhibit photographs, but also preserves them, and on top of that, the museum invites a photographer every month to explain his or her work. Guided tours are given and workshops are held for young and old. Visit the permanent exhibit and discover the history of photography.

You might need a push on the incline to the front door. All exhibition rooms on the different floors in the museum are easily accessible, but the showcase tables are not adapted to wheelchair users.

There is an adapted toilet, but the space in front of the toilet is only 100 cm.

Middelheim Museum Middelheimlaan 61 2020 Antwerpen +32 3 288 33 60 middelheimmuseum@stad.antwerpen.be  www.middelheimmuseum.be The Middelheimmuseum is unique in the city of art of Antwerp. The open air museum offers an interesting overview of over a hundred years of visual arts in an extraordinary setting. You probable need some help on the round cobble stones of the access pathway. To reach the castle, you can use a platform lift, but you cannot operate it independently. The door to the castle is rather heavy to open by yourself. The door pull of the exhibition room ‘Braempaviljoen’ is difficult to grab and there are three steps. Both on the inside and on the outside there are adapted toilets, but both toilets have limited room in front of the toilet.

Cathedral of Our Lady Groenplaats 21 2000 Antwerpen +32 3 213 99 51 info@dekathedraal.be  www.dekathedraal.be Accessible with help. There is a floor plan in braille. Guided tours for people with a visual or a learning disability are possible on demand.

City hall Antwerp Grote Markt 1 2000 Antwerpen +32 3 232 01 03 toerisme@stad.antwerpen.be  www.visitantwerpen.be Easily accessible through a side entrance, accessible toilet. Visits are only possible in group with a guide, reservations through Tourism and Convention. The tourist information centre at Grand Place 13 is accessible as well. Accessible toilets at Grand Place 15 and in the city shop, Grand Place 11.

Silvermuseum Sterckshof Hooftvunderlei 160 2100 Antwerpen +32 3 360 52 52 nfo@zilvermuseum.be  www.provant.be/vrije_tijd/cultuur/musea/zilvermuseum/toegankelijkheid/ The Silver Museum is established in the castle Sterckshof in Deurne. The silver collection covers the period from the 16th century until now and is thematically presented, the technique, the marks as well as the style and the use of the objects are treated in their context. By means of thematic or time-bounded exhibitions and publications, the museum fills the gaps in the history of the Belgian silversmith’s trade.

There are 2 wheelchairs available for free. You can find a reserved parking place in the Cornelissenlaan.

There are guided tours in Flemish sign language for the hearing-impaired visitors. Moreover, for guided tours and workshops, the deaf loop system can be used. It is necessary to make a reservation.

Zoo Antwerp Koningin Astridplein 26 2018 Antwerpen +32 3 202 45 40 info@zooantwerpen.be  www.zooantwerpen.be The Antwerp Zoo is one of the oldest and most famous zoos in Europe. Make sure you have enough time for a visit, because there are many things to see and to experience. Penguins in Vriesland, elephants and giraffes in a unique Egyptian temple and hippos in the pink villa: here you can admire more than 950 species and over 5,000 animals. The zoo is easily accessible. There is a special obstacle-free wheelchair path. Two accessible toilets. Wheelchairs are available (reservation in advance). The restaurant Paon Royal, and the self-service restaurants Flamingo and Stokstaartje are also accessible. In addition, there are also special programmes and guided tours organised for people with a visual, hearing or learning disability. Guide dogs allowed. More information: +32 (0)70 23 33 54.

4. Transport De Lijn Consult the information flyer of De Lijn to get to know more about the accessibility of trams and busses in Antwerp. http://www.delijn.be/images/folder_toegankelijkheid_2013_tcm7-547.pdf Taxi Hendriks Taxi Hendriks has 195 accessible cars and 5 branches in Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels. Hendriks Autocars disposes of luxury lift cars in different sizes.

Neerlandweg 17, 2610 Wilrijk  +32 (0)3 286 44 40  www.hendriks.be @ info.antwerpen@hendriks.be Handi-Trans Handi-Trans provides adapted transportation for wheelchair users on a 24/7 basis. The taxi is a Renault Kangoo fitted with a kneeling system and space for one wheelchair user and 3 other passengers.

Maantjessteenweg 222, 2170 Merksem (Antwerp)  +32 (0)3 218 68 23 (from 8am to midnight, every day) Mobile: +32 (0)475 68 09 95  www.handi-trans.be @ info@handi-trans.be Antwerp-Tax Antwerp-Tax is a family business that offers a wide variety of transport services, including wheelchair transport. A Mercedes Benz minibus has been specially converted to transport wheelchair passengers. Electric wheelchairs can also be transported.

Karel Oomsstraat 14, 2018 Antwerp  +32 (0)3 238 38 38  +32 (0)3 248 06 59  www.antwerp-tax.be @ info@antwerp-tax.be DTM taxi This transport firm is located in Deurne and also offers wheelchair transport. DTM taxi has 2 specially converted vehicles with hydraulic lifts. Reservation in advance is necessary.  +32 (0)3 366 66 66  www.dtmtaxi.be @ info@dtmtaxi.be

Antwerpse Rolkar V.Z.W. 7 days a week, from 6.30 AM till midnight Prof. Vanden Wildenberghlaan 2, 2100 Deurne Tel: +32 (0)3 230 02 23 Fax: +32 (0)3 218 51 08 E-mail: Info@rolkar.be, boekingen@rolkar.be Website: www.rolkar.be

5. Useful adresses and links Accessible Travel Info Point

Grasmarkt 61, 1000 Brussel +32 2 504 03 40 +32 2 504 04 05 @ info@toegankelijkreizen.be  www.toegankelijkreizen.be Facebook: www.facebook.com/toegankelijkreizen Happy Birthday Dear Academie www.happybirthdaydearacademie.be