Plantin-Moretus Museum
About This Museum
Believe it or not, the world's oldest printing presses still stand exactly where they were used 450 years ago. This isn't a sterile museum; it's the actual house and workshop of the Plantin-Moretus family, a dynasty of printers whose name became synonymous with quality across Renaissance Europe. Walking through its creaking, wood-paneled rooms feels less like a curated visit and more like stepping back in time. You can almost hear the clatter of type and smell the ink in the very spaces where monumental works like Ortelius's first atlas were born.
Collection Highlights
The stars are undoubtedly the two towering wooden printing presses from around 1600, silent but powerful monuments to the birth of mass communication. Don't miss the exquisite Garamond type punches, which shaped Western typography, or a rare copy of the 36-line Gutenberg Bible displayed alongside their own multi-volume masterpiece, the Polyglot Bible.
Visitor Information
You'll find this gem right in the heart of Antwerp at Vrijdagmarkt 22—it's surprisingly easy to miss from the outside, so keep an eye out for its unassuming facade. Give yourself a good couple of hours to properly soak in the atmosphere of this UNESCO-listed site.
Architecture & Building
The building is a beautifully preserved, somewhat austere-looking Flemish townhouse from the Renaissance, built around a quiet courtyard that offers a peaceful escape from the city bustle.
Contact & Location
Address: Plantin-Moretusmuseum, 22, Vrijdagmarkt, Historisch Centrum, Antwerpen, Vlaanderen, 2000, België / Belgique / Belgien
Phone: +32 3 221 14 50
Website: Visit Website
