Stedelijk Museum Voor Actuele Kunst (SMAK)

The motivation for many people's visit to Ghent is its Museum of Contemporary Art, a.k.a. SMAK. It holds a highly regarded permanent collection of local works (including Karel Appel, Pierre Alechinsky and Panamarenko) and works of international celebrities (like Christo, Warhol and Hockney), though of late it's been packing these away to devote its space to single major exhibits (such as Paul McCarthy's blood-spattered installations), so it's worth checking the programme.

Look out for works by Karel Appel, Pierre Alechinsky and Panamarenko - three of Belgium's best-known contemporary artists - as well as artworks by international celebrities like Christo, Warhol and Hockney.