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Museum · Antuérpia, Antuérpia
Museum Plantin-Moretus
House and workshop of a family of printers from the 16th to the 19th centuries, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the two oldest surviving printing presses.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Museum Plantin-Moretus
The Museum Plantin-Moretus occupies the former house and printing workshop of Christophe Plantin, a French printer who settled in Antuérpia in the 16th century, and of his heirs, the Moretus family. For almost three centuries the workshop published books for all of Europe. The complex is located on the Vrijdagmarkt, the Friday market square.
In 2005 the complex was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. The company archives are also on UNESCO’s Memory of the World register for documenting centuries of book production.
In the workshop are the two oldest surviving printing presses in the world, as well as sets of type and matrices. The library houses works such as the Polyglot Bible, Ortelius’s atlas Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, and a 36-line Gutenberg Bible.
The house preserves rooms with gilded leather wall coverings, period furniture and an inner courtyard garden. Rubens was a friend of the Moretus family and painted portraits of them, which are part of the collection.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 1½ to 2 hours.
Best time
In the morning on a weekday, to tour the rooms at a relaxed pace. It’s a good option for a rainy day. The museum is not open every day; check before you go.
How to get there
It’s on the Vrijdagmarkt, about 400 metres from the Grote Markt, roughly a 5-minute walk. From Antwerpen-Centraal station it’s about a 25-minute walk or a pre-metro ride to Groenplaats.
Tip
Allow time for the press room and the library. For those who enjoy books, maps and typography, it’s Antwerp’s most memorable visit.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Museum Plantin-Moretus
Why is the museum a World Heritage Site?
Because it preserves the house, the workshop, the presses, the type and the archives of a large printing house that operated from the 16th to the 19th century. It was listed in 2005.
Which important books are in the collection?
Among others, the Polyglot Bible, Ortelius’s atlas and a 36-line Gutenberg Bible.
What is the connection with Rubens?
Rubens was a friend of the Moretus family and painted portraits of them, which are in the museum.