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Traces in the city

The Plantin-Moretus family has left many traces behind in the city of Antwerp and outlying districts. Several streets have been named after members of the Moretus dynasty.

Highlights

In the Museum Plantin-Moretus, the oldest printing presses in the world are not the only things to discover. The original lead type of fonts such as Garamond, the Gutenberg Bible and ancient manuscripts tell the story of how writing evolved into the art of printing. Portraits by Peter Paul Rubens hang on the walls and the house is beautifully furnished. Check out the indispensable highlights here.

Traces in the city

The Plantin-Moretus family has left many traces behind in the city of Antwerp and outlying districts. Several streets have been named after members of the Moretus dynasty.

Collection online

Digitisation is central to the management of the Museum Plantin-Moretus’ extensive collection. Using the online search modules, you can search our digital databases. In this way, you can reserve books, documents, drawings or prints that you wish to consult in the reading room.

The world's two oldest printing presses

Printing led to a huge increase in the speed of communication. The two oldest printing presses in the world bear witness to this process. They were built around 1600, and can be admired in the Museum Plantin-Moretus, more than four centuries later.

Abraham Ortelius - Rockox house

Under the spell of Classical Antiquity

24.04.2015 - 16.08.2015 | This exhibition ran at Rockox House. It mainly featured items from the Plantin-Moretus Museum collection. Ortelius published the first world atlas in 1570. From 1579, Plantin printed this atlas, with Ortelius as the publisher.

The City Park

There are many traces of the Moretus family near the City Park. This district was built around 1870, and the city bought a lot of land from the Moretus-Della Faille family there. The current police station, Plantin en Moretuslei, the Plantin metro station: they are all linked to the family.

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.