MUSEUMS IN ANTWERP IN 2026

FOMU

Carrie Mae Weems – The Heart of the Matter

20.03.26 - 28.08.26 

The Heart of the Matter is the first major retrospective in Belgium of influential American artist Carrie Mae Weems (b. 1953). Through monumental photographic works and video installations, Weems explores themes such as race, gender, power, and memory. ​ 

She often appears in her own photographs, Weems draws on her personal experiences as a black woman in America to examine overlooked and “forgotten” histories. She reveals spaces that frequently remain unseen; from the intimacy of the kitchen table to film sets, and from African American churches to former plantations. In her personal stories, she reflects on what it means to be a black woman in America. ​ 

There will be more than one hundred works on display in the exhibition, including iconic series such as Museums (2006) and Kitchen Table Series (1990). Weems created her new series Preach  (2025) especially for this exhibition. It explores the importance of faith within African American communities, highlighting the power of art and spirituality as forms of resistance. ​ 

Weems’ work has been widely collected and exhibited internationally, including at MoMA, the Guggenheim, the Tate, the ​ Pompidou Centre, the Barbican, LUMA, and the Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam). ​ ​ 

FOMU | Fotomuseum Antwerpen | Photography museum Antwerp

FOMU is one of the most prestigious and leading museums of photography in Europe. Plan your visit, enjoy new exhibitions, discover the museum shop and…

FOMU

MUSEUM PLANTIN-MORETUS ​

Festive Year 2026: 450 years of printing / 150 years as a museum (working title) 

From 05.12.26

In 2026, it will be 450 years since Christoffel Plantin established his printing and publishing house on Antwerp’s Vrijdagmarkt. The Officina Plantiniana soon became one of the largest printing houses in the world. Nine generations later, the house and workshop became the property of the City of Antwerp. In 1876, the Officina Plantiniana was transformed into Museum Plantin-Moretus. For 150 years, the museum has told the stories of the people who lived and worked in this remarkable house. ​ 

In 2026, it will be celebrating both milestones with a festive opening weekend, a renewed permanent display, and a winter full of activities. From December onwards, visitors are invited to rediscover these stories and celebrate the anniversary year together through a vibrant programme in which they are transported back in time to the 16th century for an immersive visit to the Plantin-Moretus family. It offers a glimpse into a world of creaking floors, intimate rooms, and ink-stained hands, but also of knowledge, encounters, and progress. 

The plants of Plantin: Five centuries of botanical imagery (working title)  

21.03.26 – 02.08.26

To mark the 500^th anniversary of Carolus Clusius (1526–1609), a physician and botanist from the Low Countries, Museum Plantin-Moretus is presenting an exceptional selection of botanical imagery from its collections in 2026, spanning the 16^th to the20^th century. Ornamental flowers, wild plants, trees, vegetables, fruit and fungi are shown through historic book illustrations and the original woodblocks used for printing them, alongside fine engravings and modern drawings. 

Welcome in Museum Plantin-Moretus | Museum Plantin-Moretus

The Plantin-Moretus family began their printing office in the 16th century. 400 years on, our museum is still kept in the original house and workshops. Museum Plantin-Moretus is the only museum in the world to be inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List. A visit to our site is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

museumplantinmoretus.be

MOMU

The Antwerp Six  

28.03.2026 - 17.01.2027

In 2026, MoMu will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the international breakthrough of the Antwerp Six with a major exhibition. For the first time, an official exhibition will be dedicated to these six iconic designers. 

The exhibition will explore the shared journey that connects the six designers, from their education at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp to six influential solo careers. Dirk Bikkembergs, Ann Demeulemeester, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, and Marina Yee put Antwerp firmly on the global fashion map in 1986 when they presented their collections at the British Designer Show in London. It led to their international breakthrough and established Antwerp’s reputation as a fashion city. Their visionary designs continue to shape the fashion world today. 

The Antwerp Six / MoMu - Fashion Museum Antwerp

MoMu celebrates 40 years of the Antwerp Six with a unique exhibition in 2026.

MoMu Antwerp

MIDDELHEIMMUSEUM

Monster Chetwynd. A Friends Making Machine

16.05.2026 - 11.10.2026

Following a festive and well-attended year, the Middelheim Museum is looking to the future with new projects exploring the dynamic relationship between art and nature — creating space for wonder, creativity, and well-being. ​ ​ 

A major highlight is the first outdoor exhibition by internationally acclaimed artist Monster Chetwynd. Under the working title A Friends Making Machine, Chetwynd brings her exuberant body of work to the sculpture park, combining sculptures, performances, films, and workshops that centre on different forms of encounter. Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in Chetwynd’s universe, where artworks come alive through creatures, characters and stories, forming a lively network that celebrates care, creativity and playfulness. ​ 

For the occasion, Chetwynd designed a new entrance gate on the eastern side of the park. This sculptural work literally welcomes visitors and symbolically connects the museum with the surrounding community, including patients from ZAS Middelheim and UKJA (University Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry), as well as students from the University of Antwerp. Created in close collaboration with children and young people from UKJA, the gate is inspired by the question: how can an art park enrich the lives of people facing mental health and other health challenges? The new entrance gate will be inaugurated with a celebration on 16 May. 

Monster Chetwynd - A Friends Making Machine (working title)

The Middelheim Museum is proud to present the first outdoor solo exhibition by international artist Monster Chetwynd. The exhibition takes its starting point from a new commission for the museum’s collection and unfolds into a landmark presentation of Chetwynd’s multifaceted practice. Visitors are invited to step into and actively engage with the artist’s imaginative universe.

Middelheimmuseum

RED STAR LINE MUSEUM

Vulnerable Labour Migration (working title) 

01.04.2026 - 30.08.2026

This exhibition at the Red Star Line Museum draws inspiration from a lesser-known historical episode. In 1921, the USA introduced the Emergency Quota Act, severely limiting the number of immigrants allowed to enter per nationality. Nevertheless, many — including Belgians — continued to attempt to cross the border. 

A striking passage from historical records inspired contemporary visual artist Mashid Mohadjerin; ​ 

“In January 1923, during one of his patrols, American border guard John Coe spied on the frozen Detroit River through his binoculars, and he saw four people on the white ice coming his way who looked like ghosts. They were two Belgians and an Italian, accompanied by a Canadian smuggler. They had draped white sheets over themselves as camouflage and covered the soles of their shoes with iron to prevent slipping. It was a common practice. The local population spoke of ghost walkers, as a symbol of a growing illegal industry in the American-Canadian border area of the early 1920s.” 

For the exhibition, Mohadjerin travelled to the US–Canada border to create her own artistic interpretation of this story. At the same time, the exhibition acts as a mirror, connecting past and present and reflecting on migration today. ​ ​ 

Language and Migration (working title) 

20.11.2026 - 11.04.2027

As part of the participatory project TAAL (“Language”), the museum ventures into the city to explore the role of language in migration. ​ 

The Red Star Line Museum is working alongside visual artists and communities over a two-year period to examine the power of language in people’s lives and encounters. In collaboration with Kunst in zicht, an organisation specialising in arts education, the results of this research will be presented in an exhibition featuring artworks, collection objects, workshops, and texts. 

Millions of people, one dream | Red Star Line Museum

If these walls could talk, we would probably be surprised about the stories they could share. Two million passengers travelled to America on the Red Star Line ships. Explore the museum section by section.

redstarline.be

DIVA MUSEUM

Rings that Rock

02.04.2026 - 08.11.2026

This exhibition explores the cultural and historical significance of diamond rings from the 15th century to the present day, through three central themes: love, power and brilliance. Featuring exceptional examples ranging from early engagement rings to royal jewels and contemporary statement pieces, the exhibition reveals how the diamond ring has functioned through the centuries as a powerful symbol of emotion, status, and identity. Previously unseen rings from leading museums and private collections offer deep insight into the evolution of design, craftsmanship, and symbolism. The exhibition highlights how these jewels have always been closely connected to social change, fashion, identity, and power structures. 

Welcome to DIVA, museum for jewellery, silver and diamonds | DIVA

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www.divaantwerp.be

MAS

Martial Arts

03.04.2025 - 29.11.2025

Kung fu, karate, capoeira, kickboxing, fencing or wrestling — the new exhibition Martial Arts immerses visitors in the fascinating world of combat sports and martial disciplines. What drives millions of people worldwide to practise these arts? 

This interactive exhibition invites visitors to experience them first-hand, and reveals the strength, techniques, philosophy, and beauty of martial arts. Personal testimonies from both well-known and emerging figures reveal the rich traditions and stories behind the sport. There's often an entire community behind every club; in Antwerp and far beyond. 

Martial Arts

The new expo “Martial Arts” immerses you in the rich world of martial arts. Martial Arts shows the power, philosophy and beauty of martial arts, as well as the traditions and stories behind the sport. Step into the ring yourself and learn about kung fu, karate, capoeira, kickboxing, fencing and Nguni stick fighting, among others, and discover what all these sports have in common.

Museum MAS

RUBENSHUIS

Enchanting Tulips and Citrus Fruits 

April en Augustus 2026 (depending on bloom)

In April and May, no fewer than 1,240 bulbs of 22 unique historic tulip varieties burst into bloom in Rubens’ garden. They flower in succession until the end of May; from elegant white, vivid yellow and fiery orange-red to deep purple tulips, including rare flamed and striped varieties, with evocative names such as Tulipa ‘Black and White’, ‘Absalon’, ‘Bacchus’, ‘Bronze Charm’, ‘Little Princes’ and ‘Rubens Broken’. ​ ​ 

Rubens was also an avid collector of citrus plants; lemons, limes, oranges, kumquats, grapefruit trees and red citron. Many affluent Antwerp residents used citrus fruits both in cooking and as medicine, including treatments for gout, a condition Rubens himself suffered from. From August onwards, the fruits ripen under the summer sun. In autumn, visitors can take part in outdoor activities, processing the harvest using methods and recipes from Rubens’ own time. ​ 

Welcome to Rubenshuis

The artist's residence is temporarily closed due to renovations. Discover Rubens Experience, the garden and the library.

Rubenshuis

MUSEUM MAYER VAN DEN BERGH

Public Favourites. An Intimate Look at Masterpieces 

Consolation. Pride. Inspiration and hope. The masterpieces collected by 19th-century art collector Fritz Mayer van den Bergh continue to resonate today. From charity founder Berrefonds to artist Fred Bervoets, from food historian Regula Ysewijn to breakdancer Camine Van Hoof — 43 well-known and lesser-known museum lovers share the works that move them. Through this, a total of 90 works of art have suddenly acquired a fresh, contemporary interpretation. And it goes beyond painting alone, as Fritz also had a passion for sculpture, jewellery, ceramics, and beautifully crafted everyday objects. In Public Favourites, visitors discover or rediscover an impressive selection from his collection, with a particular focus on the late Middle Ages and the 16th century. Follow musician Bent Van Looy’s gaze to the Hands of Henriette, pause at the humour of Delftware Blue, and admire the recently restored Jesus–John Group through the eyes of screenwriter Angelo Tijssens. Thanks to Girls in the City, the iconic Dulle Griet also gains a renewed sense of female resilience. ​ ​ 

Beloved. An intimate look at masterpieces

Museum Mayer van den Bergh is undergoing renovations and is expanding. Fortunately, this doesn't mean that the curtain has come down on the collection itself. A total of 43 museum enthusiasts from Antwerp have selected a work that will be on show for you to admire in the Maagdenhuis while the museum itself is closed. So why not look at the collection through their eyes and (re)discover a multitude of masterpieces?

Museum Mayer van den Bergh

HENDRIK CONSCIENCE HERITAGE LIBRARY 

Nottebohm Hall & Bound Imagination 

19.06.2026 - 30.08.2026 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

This summer, the stunning Nottebohm Hall at the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library in the heart of Antwerp will once again be exceptionally open to the public. Visitors will have a rare opportunity to admire this historic library space, renowned for its impressive architecture and extraordinary book collection. ​ 

From 19 June to 30 August, the hall can be explored independently, allowing visitors to soak up its unique atmosphere. It's a rare opportunity to have a look around this amazing space, which is normally only open to the public during special events and tours. 

To mark the 100th anniversary of the Bookbinding study programme at Academie Berchem, the summer opening also features the exhibition "Bound Imagination", during which 100 books bound by former and current students and teachers will be on display 

Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library | Erfgoedbibliotheek Hendrik Conscience

Take a look behind the scenes of the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library with your group or association and learn more about our fascinating history and comprehensive collection.

consciencebibliotheek.be

KMSKA

Antony Gormley. Geestgrond 

23.05.2026 - 20.09.2026 

In Antony Gormley. Geestgrond, the British artist Antony Gormley (b. 1950), one of the world’s most acclaimed contemporary sculptors, enters into a powerful dialogue with the monumental white galleries of KMSKA. The exhibition will explore the roots of Gormley’s practice while revealing his latest artistic interests. It is curated by internationally renowned curator Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, known for major exhibitions such as the Sydney Biennale (2008), dOCUMENTA 13 (2012) and the Istanbul Biennial (2015). ​ ​ 

Rather than beginning and ending at the entrance, the exhibition unfolds throughout the entire museum — weaving through the permanent collection, across rooftops and thresholds, and even into the surrounding streets. Gormley’s body sculptures become part of the building itself, responding to architecture, collection and visitors. The title Geestgrond refers to fertile Ice Age soil, while also carrying a symbolic meaning: geest (spirit) as the soul , and grond (ground) ​ as earth or origin. Together, they suggest how the body rises from its roots and how time and presence intertwine. The result is a remarkable solo exhibition inviting visitors to explore both the essence of Gormley’s work and the layered identity of the museum, in a unique encounter between art, space and time. ​ 

Homepage

Every Thursday evening, KMSKA opens its doors until 10pm for surprising nocturnes packed with art, culture and entertainment.

kmska.be

SNIJDERS&ROCKOX HOUSE

Van Hemessen & Father: The Antwerp studio of Jan and Catharina van Hemessen 

15.10.26 – 31.01.27

In the winter of 2026–2027, the Snijders&Rockox House proudly presents the very first comprehensive exhibition entirely devoted to the 16th-century Van Hemessen family. It is also the first exhibition focusing on one of Europe’s earliest female painters and her long-overlooked family members. The exhibition brings a forgotten dynasty of artistic pioneers back into the spotlight and rewrites the story of the Antwerp Renaissance from a fresh and unexpected perspective — that of a creative family enterprise in which father Jan, daughter Catharina and several sons collaborated, experimented, and left a lasting mark on art history. 

The Snijders&Rockox House - A surprising museum in the heart of Antwerp

The Snijders&Rockox House, a surprising museum in the heart of Antwerp. Plan your visit and discover Den Gulden Rinck and the Fortuyne. Admire still lifes, animals and hunting scenes. Frans Snijders and his wife Margriete de Vos moved into De Fortuyne in 1622.

Snijders & Rockoxhuis

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