The Rubens House in Antwerp is temporarily providing space to young, creative organisations in the buildings on Kolvenierstraat. In the future, the Kolveniershof, located behind Rubens’ garden, will be restored together with the artist’s residence. 

Until work begins, the Rubens House will use the site to create additional (studio) space in Antwerp’s city centre. In September, Operating Collective (OPCO) will launch a pop-up programme there for events and venue rental.

At the rear of Rubens’ garden stand two buildings: the 17th-century Kolveniershof and an extension dating from the 1980s. The library collection formerly housed there was moved to Hopland last year. 

The historic Kolveniers building will be restored and renovated at the same time as the artist’s residence and will later become part of the operations of the Rubens House. The restoration is a complex project on which the museum team will continue to work extensively behind the scenes in the coming years.

Shared space in the historic city centre

Until the restoration begins, the Rubens House is opening the Kolveniershof for shared use. In doing so, the museum is focusing on sustainability, responding to the need for additional space in Antwerp, and, much like Rubens himself, seeking inventive collaborations. 

On 9 September 2025, Operating Collective (OPCO) will introduce the Kolveniershof as a venue for unique events in cooperation with local partners, entrepreneurs, the hospitality sector and event agencies.

Rubens and the Kolveniers

The site behind Rubens’ garden was in the 17th century the base of the Kolveniers, one of six armed guilds in Antwerp. At the Kolveniershof, the city’s leading artists and intellectuals gathered. 

Neighbour Rubens became a member in 1610. It proved the perfect stepping stone for his career, as two years later he painted The ‘Descent from the Cross‘ for the Kolveniers’ altar in the Cathedral of Our Lady.

The artist’s residence is currently closed for restoration. This complex project will continue over the coming years. The house and studio are therefore closed, but visitors can still enjoy the Rubens Experience, the garden, the library and a range of events.

Art and museums in Antwerp

• Antwerp fashion museum MoMu will mark 40 years of The Antwerp Six with exhibition.
• ANTWERP | Museum Mayer van den Bergh opens exhibition ‘Public Favourites’, from Mad Meg to Delft Blue, look at art through other people’s eyes.
• ANTWERP | Museum Night 2025 on Saturday 2 August.
• ANTWERP | Middelheim Museum celebrates 75 years with a summer full of new ways to experience the art park.
• M HKA 2025 |​ Bruno Zhu – Panamarenko – ‘The Situation is Fluid’ – Today’s Place – Hugo Roelandt.
• ANTWERP | ‘These Branching Moments’ – ‘.tiff 2025′ – ”OM/MOTHER’: 3 new exhibitions at FOMU, from 28 June 2025.
• ANTWERP | ‘Panamarenko. Infinite Imagination’ exhibition until 4 May 2025 at KMSKA.
• ANTWERP | ‘Compassion’ in the MAS: the many faces of compassion.
• 2025 at the museums of Antwerp.
• 2025 at Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Antwerp (KMSKA): René Magritte, Marthe Donas, Panamarenko, Hans Op de Beeck.
• ANTWERP | Graphics Museum De Reede ft. Francisco Goya, Edvard Munch, Félicien Rops and Albrecht Dürer.
• ANTWERP | Rubens Experience and Rubens Garden at Rubenshuis.
• Antwerp will have a new Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp M HKA.
• ANTWERP | Innovations in the Middelheim Museum provide a completely new visitor experience.
• A visit of the Flemish Tram and Bus Museum – Vlaams Tram- en Autobusmuseum (VlaTAM) in Antwerp.
• ANTWERP | Discovering queer(ed) art with the Queer Tour at the KMSKA fine arts museum.
• REVIEW | Illusion Antwerpen, an active and photogenic museum.
• Antwerp museums and sports facilities team up with European Disability Card for accessible leisure activities.
• Museum Mayer van den Bergh.
• ANTWERP | Inside Rubens House.
• Museum Plantin-Moretus in Antwerp.
• ANTWERP | Museum Vleeshuis up for restoration.
• BOOK | ‘Antwerp. An Archaeological View on the Origin of the City’ by Tim Bellens.
• Red Star Line Museum.
• Paleis op de Meir. 
• DIVA, Antwerp Home of Diamonds.
• ANTWERP | Red Star Line Museum of (e)migration.