Getting creative with the ‘Collection of M’: Welcome to the make-it-together space

Getting creative with the ‘Collection of M’

WELCOME TO THE MAKE-It-toghether SPACE

From now until the end of the summer, a designated space within M will undergo a metamorphosis, becoming an ‘experience room’. Families, schools, guided groups and individual visitors will have the chance to get to know the ‘Collection of M’ in a playful, interactive way.

Project manager Isabelle Van den Broeke and mediation expert Marlies Verreydt explain what to expect.

Isabelle: “The ‘make-it-together space’ is a type of laboratory dedicated to the exploration of art. There are no genuine works on display, but you can unleash your imagination with pieces from the ‘M-Collection’: historic and contemporary, abstract and figurative, and so on. In the past, we frequently updated our collection presentations, but the ‘M-Collection’ will remain on display until 2029. This provides us with a wider range of possibilities to experiment, such as with this experience room.”

In the middle of the room is a large table for groups to work on their assignments. Elsewhere in the space, you can draw, make collages, respond to statements, create and record stories about art, touch 3D replicas of artworks, and so on. Everything is tactile and sensory; there are no screens. It’s a deliberate decision to keep visitors engaged.

Marlies: “We’re initially targeting schools and families with children, but the space is also interesting for visitors who want a less static museum experience. This aligns well with the common thread that runs through the ‘M-Collection’: looking at things differently.”

Although the ‘make-it-together’ space will close after the summer, the story does not end there. “We’re using durable furniture that we can reuse later. Above all, we want to learn from this. By listening to people’s stories, from their reactions to the statements, and so on. It will give us a clearer picture of how visitors experience our collection, and how we can respond to that even better in the future.”

Bird’s-eye view

Did you know that the furniture in the experience room, when viewed from above, creates the M logo?

Illustratie de mee-maak-kamer — Astrid Van de Sompele

Design with us

On one wall, there will be magnets with enlarged details of artworks. You can slide them around and make your own collage.

Discuss with us

Take a seat and look at the three blocks in front of you. On each side is a detail from an artwork: a landscape, a figure or an object. Turn the blocks over. With the help of the person next to you, use them as inspiration for a story. You can capture it later with the help of the hanging microphone and the acoustic setup, transforming this space into a mini sound studio.

Draw with us

At the heart of the room is a table where you can empty your head and do something creative for a while. You can draw a self-portrait, write a ‘scratch poem’, create an abstract landscape, or do anything else that comes to mind. Anything goes here! There’s also a lightbox on the table, where you can trace works from the ’M-Collection’, but also give them your own spin. Transform a realistic piece into an abstract one, adding your unique flair to these timeless works.

Think with us

On panels there are statements about art. Do you agree with them? Are they wrong? Discuss them as a group, then use the stickers to show your opinion. The stickers cater to various age groups.

Touch with us

In the rest of the museum, touching artwork is forbidden, but here it’s allowed! Inside a cabinet, you’ll find 3D replicas of works from the ’M-Collection’. Stick your hand through one of the holes. Touch whatever you want! Answer the questions, open the cabinet, and see how you have done.