The museum has two dependencies, the Ensorhuis (house of James Ensor) in Ostend, and the Permekemuseum in Jabbeke.

The collection is largely centered on artists from Ostend, mainly James Ensor, Constant Permeke and Léon Spilliaert.

The collection of the Provincial Museum started in 1957, with the regular acquisition of works by young artists.

Other artists represented include Georges Vantongerloo, Roger Raveel, Raoul De Keyser, Panamarenko, Jacques Verduyn, Wim Delvoye, Jan Fabre, Philip Aguirre y Otegui, Karel Appel, Marcel Broodthaers, Antoon De Clerck, Etienne Elias, Luc Tuymans, nl:Walter Leblanc, Marie-Jo Lafontaine, Pierre Alechinsky, Guy van Bossche, Amedee Coutier, René Magritte, George Minne, Emil Salkin, nl:Jef Verheyen, Vic Gentils and Paul Delvaux.

[2] Source:[3] The museum is located in a protected modernist building by architect nl:Gaston Eysselinck from 1947, originally a department store.