MoMu Library & Dries Van Noten Study Center
In addition to MoMu's world-renowned musuem collection, MoMu encourages exploration and research through the library and Dries Van Noten Study Center.
Thanks to support from the fashion house Dries Van Noten, MoMu has invested significant effort in its center for education and research, often in partnership with other museums, universities and research centres. Besides researching its own collection and archives, MoMu is also focusing its attention on many other topics, such as fashion history, restoration and conservation, and digital archives and innovation.
The library preserves and provides access to a wide selection of books, magazines and ephemera, as well as the Study Collection.
Explore the library, the Dries Van Noten Study Center, and our projects:
Study Collection online database
- This unique resource provides access to over 2,000 objects, ranging from historical to contemporary garments, as well as fragments and textile samples.
- Much can be learned from direct contact with materials and techniques, and the Study Collection can be used for scientific research, as teaching material for schools, or as a source of inspiration for all those interested in fashion and textiles.
MoMu Library Catalogue
The MoMu Library is an academic library for historical and contemporary fashion and textiles. With over 15,000 books, an archive of valuable reference works, hundreds of contemporary and historical magazines, and a fast-growing digital database of images, the MoMu Library is one of the top in its field worldwide.
Damage Atlas - Glossy Surfaces Project
- The Glossy Surfaces project seeks conservation solutions for thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) coatings in fashion collections, explored by museum experts and scientific partners.
Melijn Project
Discover Antwerp's textile history through the Melijn family archives, documenting their commercial trade during the 17th & 18th centuries.
In 2020, twenty volumes of copybooks were digitised, providing public access to over 20,000 entries of historically significant commercial correspondence. In addition to viewing, you can help enhance these transcriptions.
Dirk Bikkembergs Archive
Access the paper archive of Dirk Bikkembergs to explore the creative development of the Antwerp designer.
The diverse archival elements, from mood boards and sketchbooks to invitations and lookbooks, navigate Bikkembergs' design process from his student years (1977-1982) to his active period of designing for his successful eponymous label (1983-2012).
MODAL (Metadata-ing and Unlocking Digital Archives using Large Language Models)
- Can GenAI support the cultural heritage sector? Four Flemish Cultural Heritage Institutions have come together to explore what this technology can do, its limitations, and to discuss the ethical factors involved in using AI.
MuMo (Museum Monitoring)
- The MuMo project highlights the technical innovation of the Dries Van Noten Study Center. The collaborative project has developed an data logger and platform to monitor environmental factors necessary for heritage institutions. Adopting open source principles, the MuMo loggers can be adapted according to the needs of the institution and the recorded data can be shared with other systems.