The neoclassical building housing the Jewish Museum of Belgium was designed by architect Octave Flanneau and inaugurated in 1902. It was home to a German-language school until the First World War, then served as a repository for state archives. The Jewish Museum of Belgium took up residence here in 2005. It aims to present the life and history of Jewish people in this part of the world from the 18th century onwards, through a large collection of artefacts derived from donations, acquisitions and deposits, such as those from the Jewish Central Consistory of Belgium, the Stelman-Topiol Foundation, the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Wiener collection. The museum also has archives, a library and a photo library and puts on an average of five temporary exhibitions a year in its new contemporary space. Alongside this, it organises a number of activities such as talks, concerts, workshops and literary evenings, all of which are opportunities to welcome visitors from different cultures.