Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet is such a beautiful museum! It’s a bit like Rubenshuis, in that you are able to see where the Plantins and Moretus lived, but also on a much bigger scale because you’re able to also see where they worked (proofreading, printing, selling) and their UNESCO world heritage collection of prints and books.
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
The Museum Plantin-Moretus is unique. It is just as if after 440 years the working day is about to begin for the type founders, compositors, printers and proofreaders in the world-famous printing works. The oldest printing presses in the world are there, intact and ready to roll. The offices and shop echo with conversations between Christoffel Plantijn and aristocratic and scholarly clients from all over the world.
Feast your eyes on the home of the Plantin and Moretus families! Stroll through the drawing rooms, soaking up the atmosphere of life in Antwerp in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and admiring the impressive art collection which includes portraits by Peter Paul Rubens.
Continue on your way through the rarefied libraries lined with the breathtaking 30,000 old editions that make up the Moretus’ collection. Marvel at the magnificent manuscripts and some of the finest examples of European typography.
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
The Manuscripts Room
A few of the beautiful manuscripts in the room
The beautiful courtyard
The beautiful courtyard
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
Printing press
Printing plate
Beautiful printing presses
So many little letters!
The two oldest printing presses in the world! (And they still work!)
36-line Bible, the second printed edition of the Bible (after the Gutenberg Bible)
36-line Bible, the second printed edition of the Bible (after the Gutenberg Bible)
Music book
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
The close cooperation between Peter Paul Rubens and Balthasar Moretus ushered in a new chapter in the history of the illustrated book in Antwerp, which has become paradigmatic in the way neighboring countries produced books in the first half of the 17th century. After this cooperation, title pages and vignettes start developing into interesting and dynamic compositions, full of allegorical meaning that refers directly to the contents of the book.
The drawings, oil-painting drafts, books, prints, copper plates and archives brought together in this exhibition provide an insight into the talent of these two creative minds.
Prints by Rubens
Print by Rubens
Print by Rubens
“The Red Lion of Verdussen, attributed to Erasmus Quellin, 17th century: signboard, also printer’s mark, of one branch of this great Antwerp printing dynasty.”
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
The printing of books and prints required permission from the authorities – this is a parchment with the seal of Philip II
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
Map of Antwerp
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
Tools for making prints
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet
An American in Antwerp 
Lisa wat goed van jou!Ga je alleen al die musea bekijken of met Koen ,of een vriendin.Wij wonen zo dicht bij,maar ik ben al een jaar niet in antwerpen geweest laat staan in een museum.wanneer ga je naar amerika?Groetjes t.Ingrid
Ik ga meestal alleen omdat het voor Koen 8 keer zo duur is, maar Barbara en Sofie zijn meegegaan naar het Fotomuseum en Museum aan de stroom. U moet binnenkort bezoeken, dan kan ik mijn favoriete museums aanraden (en kan u natuurlijk ons ook zien)!
Hello Lisa,
Those are wonderful pictures, you must have enjoyed yourself. If I may give you another tip: the Hendrik Conscience Library has a wonderful old library hall, the Nottebohm hall. It’s not always open for visitors, but until september 9th you can go there (tue-sun 13h-17h) to see an exhibition of modern book art, called ‘ L.I.R.E. (Library of Indwelled Regions and Environments)’. More details (only in Dutch unfortunately): . Oh, and it’s free 🙂
I will go this Sunday!
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