Experience

ANTWERP SUMMER 2025 | 540,000 visitors at municipal museums

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During July and August 2025, Antwerp’s museums and heritage institutions welcomed more than 540,000 visitors. With a varied offering of exhibitions, permanent collections and activities, there was plenty to experience.

Antwerp’s museums and heritage institutions once again experienced a successful summer. In total they attracted more than 540,000 visitors, despite the fact that Museum Vleeshuis, Museum Mayer van den Bergh and the artist’s house of the Rubens House are temporarily closed for renovation.

The biggest attractions were the Museum At the Stream or Museum Aan de Stroom (MAS), the Middelheim Museum and the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp or Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten (KMSKA).

The MAS welcomed 108,000 visitors who enjoyed art, history and a breathtaking view of the city from the promenade, and 34,000 paying visitors for exhibitions such as ‘Compassion‘.

The Middelheim Museum attracted 141,600 outdoor visitors. In its anniversary year it invited people to experience the museum in a different way: by drawing, reading and laughing among the artworks.

The KMSKA counted more than 118,500 visitors this summer. That success is thanks to a strong and varied exhibition programme, including ‘Night Voyage by Hans Op de Beeck‘.

Museum Plantin-Moretus remains a favourite with international visitors, drawing 20,000 people. The Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library in turn welcomed more than 20,000 visitors to its stately Nottebohm Room. The Rubens House attracted 19,000 visitors to the renovated garden, summer activities and Rubens Experience.

In July and August fashion museum ModeMuseum (MoMu) welcomed 17,235 visitors for the exhibition ‘Fashion & Interiors. A Gendered Affair‘, which became a real crowd-puller thanks to the unique cross-pollination between fashion and interior design.

The temporary exhibition ‘Public Favourites of Museum Mayer van den Bergh‘ in the Maagdenhuis attracted more than 4,500 visitors in a short time. For this exhibition, 43 Antwerp residents chose their favourite work from the impressive collection. In this way, Bruegel’s ‘Mad Meg‘ and other masterpieces remain visible to the public during the museum renovation.

The conteporary art museum M HKA welcomed just under 16,000 enthusiastic visitors during the summer months thanks to a stimulating mix of exhibitions and activities. These included ‘The Geopolitics of Infrastructure‘ (until 21 September) and the tribute exhibition ‘Journey to the Stars‘ (until 7 September), part of the Panamarenko85 jubilee year.

Photography museum FOMU presented less traditional exhibitions with young talent, experimentation and participation, inspiring more than 13,500 visitors.

After the successful spring exhibition ‘Family Happiness‘, the Red Star Line Museum still managed to attract 12,000 visitors this summer.

The DIVA museum welcomed 9,925 visitors this summer. The temporary exhibition ‘Silver Triennial, the leading international competition showcasing the latest developments‘ in silver design, was the main attraction.

The Snijders&Rockox House Museum welcomed 5,000 visitors this summer.

The closed Museum Vleeshuis still reached many visitors off-site: 3,150 people at the mini-exhibition ‘TowerTunes‘ in City Hall, 1,080 visitors climbed the 515 steps of the cathedral tower, and every Monday evening the summer carillon concerts resounded in the city centre.

A sold-out Museum Night drew as many as 10,000 visitors to the city’s cultural hotspots in a single evening. Next year will mark the 20th edition.

Alderman for Culture Lien Van de Kelder (Vooruit) said: “With more than 540,000 visitors, our Antwerp museums once again demonstrate their unique appeal this summer. They connect Antwerp residents, tourists and art lovers with current themes. That success proves how important museums are as windows on the world: they inspire, challenge and make culture accessible to everyone. I am particularly proud that Antwerp remains an absolute top cultural destination with this rich offering. And even after the summer there is every reason to visit our museums, with an autumn programme full of exhibitions that will be just as surprising and compelling.”

Art and museums in Antwerp

On tourism

Some tourism statistics

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