After the untimely death of its owner, the further fate of the Palais Stoclet has remained undecided for a while. As an art object, the house has a certain advantage of balancing on the verge of two artistic styles that are often viewed as conflicting, namely, Art Nouveau and Modernism. With the former leaning toward the use of form, whereas the latter places a much heavier emphasis on the function, the stylistic contradictions within the building may become the source of insightful retrospect and analysis. Thus, the heritage of Palais Stoclet appears to be far too valuable to consider selling it and having it stripped of the entire range of its unique art pieces.
However, it is also quite easy to understand the hesitation of Adolphe and Suzanne Stoclet’s granddaughters since maintaining the house is going to be quite a costly enterprise that is unlikely to pay off, at least not in the nearest future. Though using the palace as a venue of tourist attraction or repurposing it for commercial needs might be possible, it is likely to take a large amount of effort and financial resources without leading to much gratification.
Therefore, the only reasonable solution in this case would be to open it to the public as a repository of artistic relics of Art Nouveau and Modernism. The unique collision of the two artistic movements in a single environment and the uniquely weird way in which these styles have intertwined is bound to stir some interests and enthusiasm in the general audiences. Thus, by opening the house to visitors as a museum, Stoclet’s heirs will be able to retain the cultural legacy of the palace.