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Group visit without a guide

Every visitor wants to visit the museum in optimal conditions – understandably enough. This is why groups and schools reserve in advance. That way, we can coordinate group visits more smoothly.

From the Print Cabinet's depot

Every quarter, the Print Cabinet shows a changing selection, based on a theme relevant to the season.

Scientific research and manuscript dating

The Museum Plantin-Moretus collaborates with the University of Leuven in scientific research into its rich collection of medieval manuscripts. Thanks to the work of Lieve Watteeuw and Catherine Reynolds of the research centre Illuminare, we now know with greater certainty when the manuscripts were produced, and by whom.

RICH research project

Reflectance Imaging for Cultural Heritage

The Museum Plantin-Moretus is a partner in the Leuven research project RICH, short for ‘Reflectance Imaging for Cultural Heritage’. Prof. Lieve Watteeuw of the Illuminare research centre and digital imaging expert Bruno Vandermeulen are working together to digitise the Museum’s bookbindings, prints and miniatures optimally.

Manuscripts

The museum’s collection includes 638 manuscripts, ranging from the ninth to the eighteenth century. The basis of the collection was laid by Christophe Plantin himself: he bought manuscripts that he could use to make book editions of Greek and Roman authors and church fathers. Plantin was also given manuscripts.

Portraits by Rubens

You will find an extensive collection of paintings in the Museum Plantin-Moretus. Nearly half of these are portraits of the family. The painter? Peter Paul Rubens!

Association of Antwerp Bibliophiles

The Association of Antwerp Bibliophiles brings together collectors and researchers. They promote the love of books and study the history of books and prints in Flanders.

Past exhibitions

Exhibitions highlight a specific aspect of the collection. Past exhibitions are listed below.

ExxonMobil sponsors

Thanks to ExxonMobil, visitors can now admire the unique Urbs Antverpia map of Antwerp in digital form. The Museum keeps the map by Virgil Bononiensis in its collection storage.