The Museum Hof van Busleyden underwent an extensive 20-year renovation from 1997 to 2017 to improve accessibility, update outdated technical systems and scenography, and expand exhibition space. The renovation involved multiple phases - excavating new cellar exhibition rooms beneath the garden in Phase 1 and renovating the historical building itself in Phase 2. The project faced delays from changes in political leadership and had to be redesigned several times. The new exhibition rooms opened in 2013 and marked the beginning of Phase 2 focusing on renovating the historical building to showcase the Burgundian-Habsburgian time period with support from Tourism Flanders.

1. Museum Hof van Busleyden
A long time of constructing
1997-2017

2. Hof van Busleyden after WO I

3. Why renovating?
• Low accesibility (many steps, no elevator)
• Technical installation are very old
-> electrical installation and heating dated
back to the 1950’s
• Scenography was out dated

4. Hof van Busleyden: museum rooms after WO II

6. A short history of the renovation
• 1997: museum rooms cleared for exhibition
on Lucas Faydherbe
• 1999: design contest => 2 architects selected:
David Driesen (dmvA) and Hans Le Compte
(HLC.r)
• 2000: plans and tender ready –> elections:
change of Mayor => change of ideas
• 2003-2004: restoration of the exterior

7. A short history of the renovation
• 2004: architects have to redesign the plans

9. A short history of the renovation
• 2009: architects have to redesign the plans
again -> idea for excavating the cellars under
the building

10. 2010: start of fase 1
• Exhibition room below the garden
• Climat: A-class
• Connection with the historical building
• Maximalisation of the space (design from wall
to wall)
• To save time: period of tender runs
simultaniously with period of building
permission

11. Fase 1: before and after fire attestation

22. Official opening of the new exhibition room on the 5th of july 2013

23. 2015: Een Hollander in Mechelen (© Foto-KaSt, Mechelen)

24. 2015: Zot Geweld | Dwaze Maagd (© Foto-KaSt, Mechelen)

25. 2015: start of fase 2
• Renovation of the historical building
• Planned as a good city museum
• During the realisation: change of scope ->
evolution to a museum that will be focusing
on the Burgundian-Habsburgian time
• Important financing by Tourism of Flandres
• Higher demands on technical installation =>
rethinking of the installation during the
construction time