More Willhelm. One of the reasons the museum has gotten pickier over the years is that it’s pretty much run out of storage space, and it’s virtually impossible for its curators to retroactively eliminate pieces from the collection. “It’s a very difficult procedure because we’re a museum of the Province of Antwerp, which means if we want to get rid of something, it’s a real cascade of people that we need to consult,” explains Mertens. “We have a council of the Province, and the politicians, the Council of Deputies, has to decide if we can get rid of any given piece. So we keep everything — once it gets a registration number, it’s in the collection forever. That’s why we’re so severe in choosing.”