Entrepreneur and investor Jürgen Ingels is developing plans for the first full-scale space museum in Flanders. The project, which aims to open around 2030, could be located in Mechelen, near Technopolis, although Antwerp remains an alternative option.
Ingels, known as the driving force behind technology events such as Supernova and as managing partner of investment fund SmartFin, owns an exceptional private collection of space-related objects. The collection, including replicas of lunar landers, Mercury and Gemini capsules, and a lunar rover, is currently stored in a warehouse in Lier.
He now wants to make that collection accessible to the public. Ingels says it would be a waste to leave the pieces unused and wants to ensure they are preserved for the future. His ambition is to safeguard the collection while using it to inspire young people, families and schools.
Opposite Technopolis
The plans have become increasingly concrete. Ingels has submitted a proposal in response to a European tender for a site opposite Technopolis in Mechelen and is working with architects on initial designs. If selected, the project could move into its next phase. Antwerp remains under consideration as well, including a site near Antwerp-Central Railway Station.
The museum is intended to go beyond a traditional exhibition space. Ingels envisions a broader ecosystem, including a space and defence investment fund, temporary exhibitions in collaboration with international organisations such as NASA, ESA and SpaceX, and potentially a cluster of space-related companies around the site.
The concept builds on a temporary exhibition at Antwerp Expo, which attracted around 80,000 visitors without a major marketing campaign. That success reinforced Ingels’ belief that there is strong public interest in space and technology in Flanders.
His passion for space dates back to his childhood and was strongly influenced by his father. After his father’s death, Ingels began collecting space artefacts more intensively. In the 1990s, he was able to acquire historical items relatively easily, including through contacts with former astronaut families. A major expansion of his collection came a few years ago, when he acquired large-scale replicas from a bankrupt Finnish exhibition project.
According to Ingels, his collection is unique in Europe, where only a limited number of museums hold comparable objects. He points to institutions such as ESTEC in the Netherlands and the Technikmuseum Speyer in Germany, noting that Belgium currently lacks a full-scale space museum of this kind.
Local authorities in Mechelen have responded positively to the plans. Alderman for Culture Kristof Calvo (Groen) described the project as a potential addition to the city’s cultural offer, while stressing that a formal position will only be taken once concrete proposals are presented.
If realised, the project could give Flanders a new technological and educational landmark by the end of the decade, with international appeal and a clear focus on inspiring the next generation.
