Plantin-Moretus Museum

In 1546 Christoffel Plantin, like many others at the time, emigrated from France to settle in the booming city of Antwerp. He started out as a bookbinder and leather crafsman and in 1555 he became a printer, setting up his own shop 'De Gulden Passer' (the Gilded Compass). 21 Years later he moved into a new building at the Vrijdagmarkt square (Friday Market Square) - the present Plantin Moretus Museum - where he would create one of the world's leading printing and publishing houses. At that time he already had more than 70 employees. Christoffel Plantin is now considered the most important printer of his era.

After Plantin's death in 1589, his business was expanded and modernized by his son-in-law Jan Moretus and his children, who are also responsible for the magnificent 17th century courtyard. Besides the courtyard, the building itself is also worth a visit as it is one of the finest examples of 17th and 18th architecture in the Low Countries.

The printing offices, workshop, library and printing room have all been preserved in their original state and offer a unique insight in the living and working conditions at this thriving printing and publishing house.
In total 30 rooms can be visited. The museum has an important collection of printing equipment as well as an invaluable archive and important works of art, including works by Rubens and Van Dyck.

Some of the museum's highlights include an original Gütenberg bible, the world's two oldest printing presses, original typographical matrices by Garamond and the first printed Atlas.

The historical value of both the house and the printing museum were recognized internationally when the Unesco added the printing museum to its World Heritage list. It became the first museum in the world to be added to this exclusive list. The museum's archive was already on another Unesco list since 2001, the Memory of the World.