The museums of the City of Antwerp are preparing to welcome visitors again in 2026 with a wide range of exciting exhibitions and projects. Photography museum FOMU will present the American artist Carrie Mae Weems, fashion museum MoMu will commemorate the Antwerp Six, and the Middelheim Museum will welcome the British artist Monster Chetwynd. 

At the DIVA diamond and jewelry museum, never-before-seen diamond rings will be on display. Museum At the Stream (MAS) will explore the world of combat sports with Martial Arts, and at the Red Star Line Museum, artist Mashid Mohadjerin will share a historic refugee story. The Museum Plantin-Moretus will celebrate its 450th anniversary this year and also mark the 500th anniversary of the botanist Carolus Clusius.

FOTOMUSEUM: Carrie Mae Weems – ‘The Heart of the Matter’, 20.03.26 – 28.08.26

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

Weems often appears in her own photographs. Drawing on her experiences as a Black woman in America, she examines ‘forgotten’ histories. She reveals spaces that are often overlooked: from the intimate kitchen table to the film set, from African American churches to former plantations. Through her personal stories, she reflects on what it means to be a Black woman in America.

The exhibition includes more than one hundred works, including well-known series such as ‘Museums‘ (2006) and ‘Kitchen Table Series‘ (1990). Especially for this exhibition, Weems created ‘Preach‘ (2025), a series exploring the role of faith within African American communities. Art and spirituality emerge as powerful forms of resistance.

Weems’ work is collected and/or exhibited worldwide in institutions such as MoMA, the Guggenheim, Tate, Centre Pompidou, the Barbican, Luma and the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.

MUSEUM PLANTIN-MORETUS: ‘The Plants of Plantin: Five Centuries of Botanical Images’ (working title), 21.03.26 – 02.08.26

In 2026, the Museum Plantin-Moretus celebrates the 500th anniversary of Carolus Clusius (1526–1609), a physician and botanist from the Low Countries. To mark the occasion, the museum will showcase the finest botanical imagery from its own collections, spanning the sixteenth to the twentieth century. 

Ornamental flowers, wild plants, trees, vegetables, fruits and mushrooms will be on view in old book illustrations, the original woodblocks used to print them, as well as exquisite prints and modern drawings.

Together with Rembert Dodoens and Matthias Lobelius, Clusius formed a leading botanical trio in the sixteenth century that laid the foundations of this important scientific discipline. Most of their works were published by Christophe Plantin. 

The Museum Plantin-Moretus still preserves around 4,000 woodblocks used for these botanical illustrations. The selection for the exhibition has been prepared with external partners such as the city’s Parks Department and Natuurpunt. Antwerp’s city poet Esohe Weyden also contributes a floral reflection.

After this exhibition, the museum will close for four months to carry out essential structural works and renew its permanent display.

MOMU: ‘The Antwerp Six’, 28.03.26 – 17.01.27

In 2026, MoMu will mark the 40th anniversary of the international breakthrough of the Antwerp Six with a large-scale exhibition. It is the first official exhibition devoted to these six iconic designers.

The exhibition highlights the unique journey shared by the designers. Their story began at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and developed into six influential solo careers. 

Dirk Bikkembergs, Ann Demeulemeester, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene and Marina Yee put Antwerp on the global fashion map when they presented their collections at the British Designer Show in London in 1986. This led to their international success and established Antwerp as a fashion capital. Their distinctive work continues to influence the fashion world today.

RED STAR LINE MUSEUM: ‘Vulnerable Labour Migration’ (working title), 01.04.26 – 30.08.26

For this exhibition, the Red Star Line Museum draws inspiration from an overlooked historical episode. In 1921, the United States enacted the Emergency Quota Act, which set strict nationality-based immigration limits. This did not stop many people, including Belgians, from attempting the crossing.

A striking passage in historical reports inspired contemporary visual artist Mashid Mohadjerin: “In January 1923, during one of his patrols, American border guard John Coe saw four ghost-like figures coming across the frozen Detroit River. They were two Belgians and an Italian, accompanied by a Canadian smuggler. They had draped themselves in white sheets as camouflage and had fitted iron to the soles of their shoes to prevent slipping. It was common practice. Locals called them ghost walkers, symbols of the growing illegal industry in the American–Canadian border region of the early 1920s.”

For the exhibition, Mohadjerin travelled to the US–Canada border to create her own artistic interpretation of this historical story. The exhibition also acts as a mirror, linking past and present.

DIVA MUSEUM: ‘Rings that Rock’, 02.04.26 – 08.11.26

This exhibition explores the cultural and historical significance of diamond rings from the fifteenth century to the present, through three central themes: love, power and sparkle. Featuring rare early engagement rings, royal jewels and contemporary statement pieces, it shows how the diamond ring has served as a bearer of emotion, status and identity throughout history.

Never-before-seen 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 intertwined with social developments, fashion, identity and power.

MAS: ‘Martial Arts’, 03.04.2025 – 29.11.2025

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

The interactive exhibition invites visitors to experience the sports for themselves and reveals their strength, techniques, philosophy and beauty. Personal stories from well-known and lesser-known practitioners uncover the long traditions and narratives behind the sports. Often, a whole community lies behind each club, in Antwerp and far beyond.

RUBENS HOUSE: ‘Enchanting Tulips and Citrus Fruits’, April and August 2026 (depending on bloom)

In April and May, 1,240 bulbs from 22 unique historical tulip varieties will bloom in Rubens’ garden, each in turn until late May: elegant white, bright yellow, orange-red and purple tulips, as well as rare flamed and striped varieties. All carry special names such as Tulipa ‘Black and White’, ‘Absalon’, ‘Bacchus’, ‘Bronze Charm’, ‘Little Princes’ or ‘Rubens broken’.

Rubens also owned many citrus plants. Lemons, limes, oranges, kumquats, pomelos and red lemons were common among wealthy Antwerp residents, used both in the kitchen and as medicine, including for gout, from which Rubens suffered. 

From August, the fruits ripen under the summer sun. In autumn, the harvest will be used in outdoor activities following methods and recipes from Rubens’ time.

MUSIC MUSEUM VLEESHUIS: ‘Tower Tunes’: a small exhibition about grand sounds, in the City Hall

For Antwerp residents, the cathedral tower is a source of pride; for visitors, it is a unique example of Gothic architecture. The Vleeshuis Museum will again organise guided tours of the tower in spring and summer 2026. 

Visitors will see the bells up close, learn about the carillon and enjoy panoramic views of the city. Because the museum is temporarily closed for restoration, tours will begin in the City Hall. Through selected pieces from its remarkable musical collection, visitors will discover the tower’s many roles: belfry, musical instrument, clock tower and UNESCO World Heritage site. The mini-exhibition Tower Tunes is freely accessible during City Hall opening hours.

MIDDELHEIM MUSEUM: ‘Monster Chetwynd – A Friends Making Machine’, 16.05.2026 – 11.10.2026

After a festive and well-attended year, the Middelheim Museum looks forward to new projects exploring the interplay between art and nature, creating space for wonder, creativity and well-being.

A major highlight is the first outdoor exhibition by the internationally renowned artist Monster Chetwynd, from 16 May to 11 October 2026. Under the working title ‘A Friends Making Machine‘, she brings her exuberant work to the sculpture park, combining sculptures, performances, films and workshops that centre on different forms of encounter. 

The exhibition invites visitors to immerse themselves in Chetwynd’s imaginative universe, where artworks come to life through creatures, characters and stories that embody care, creativity and playfulness.

Chetwynd is designing a new entrance gate on the east side of the park. This sculptural work will greet visitors and symbolically connect with neighbouring residents and users, including patients from ZAS–Middelheim and UKJA (the centre for child and youth psychiatry), and students from the University of Antwerp. The gate, created in close collaboration with UKJA children and young people, explores how the sculpture park can enrich the lives of people facing mental health challenges. It will be inaugurated on 16 May.

MUSEUM MAYER VAN DEN BERGH: ‘Public Favourites. An intimate look at masterpieces’

Comfort. Pride. Inspiration and hope. The masterpieces collected by the nineteenth-century art collector Fritz Mayer van den Bergh still move people today. From the Berrefonds to artist Fred Bervoets, from food historian Regula Ysewijn to breakdancer Camine Van Hoof: 43 well-known and lesser-known art lovers explain what touches them. 

Their perspectives give 90 artworks a contemporary resonance. And the selection goes beyond paintings: Fritz collected sculptures, jewellery, ceramics and splendid objects. In the exhibition ‘Public Favourites‘, visitors rediscover an impressive selection of the collection, mainly from the late Middle Ages and the sixteenth century. 

Follow musician Bent Van Looy’s gaze across the ‘Hands of Henriëtte‘, consider the humour in Delft Blue ceramics and admire the newly restored Jesus–John group through the eyes of scriptwriter Angelo Tijssens. Thanks to Girls in the City, Bruegel’s iconic Dulle Griet or Mad Meg is given a new dose of female resilience.

HERITAGE LIBRARY HENDRIK CONSCIENCE: Nottebohm Room and Bound by Imagination, 19.06.2026 – 30.08.2026

The magnificent Nottebohm Room, located in the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library in the heart of Antwerp, will once again open to the public during the summer. Visitors will have the rare chance to admire this historic library space, known for its remarkable architecture and exceptional book collection.

From 19 June to 30 August, visitors can explore the Nottebohm Room at their own pace and enjoy its unique atmosphere. The room is normally only accessible during special events and guided tours, making this a special opportunity.

To mark the 100th anniversary of the Bookbinding programme at Academie Berchem, the summer opening will also feature the exhibition ‘Bound by Imagination‘, presenting 100 books bound by former and current students and teachers.

RED STAR LINE MUSEUM: Language and Migration (working title), 20.11.2026 – 11.04.2027

As part of the participatory project ‘TAAL‘, the museum explores the city in search of the role of language in migration.

How does language strengthen or hinder encounters? What is the language of migration? Do we find words to express who we are and once were? Can one put down roots in a new language? Which mother tongues are heard in the city, and which are passed on to the next generations? Do people find one another in (new) words—or not? What emotional journey does language take? How does it reflect the realities and power structures surrounding migration? And can we find inspiration in the stories of the Red Star Line?

Over two years, the museum will work with visual artists and communities to explore the power of language in human connections. They are collaborating with Kunst in zicht, an organisation specialising in art education. The results will be presented in an exhibition featuring artists’ work, collection pieces, workshops and texts.

MUSEUM PLANTIN-MORETUS: Celebratory Year 2026: 450 Years of the Printing House / 150 Years of the Museum (working title), from 05.12.26

In 2026, it will be 450 years since Christophe Plantin established his printing and publishing house on the Vrijdagmarkt. The Officina Plantiniana soon became one of the largest printing houses in the world. Nine generations later, the house and printing works became the property of the City of Antwerp. 

In 1876, the Officina Plantiniana became the Museum Plantin-Moretus. For 150 years, the museum has told the stories of the people who lived and worked in this house.

In 2026, the museum will celebrate both milestones with a festive opening weekend, a renewed permanent display and a winter filled with activities. From December onwards, everyone is invited to discover these stories and join in the celebrations. 

More than ever, visitors will travel back to the sixteenth century to step inside the world of the Plantin-Moretus family—a world of creaking floors, intimate rooms and ink stains, but also of knowledge, encounters and progress.