The Rubenshuis is the former home and studio of Peter Paul Rubens, set just off Antwerp’s Meir shopping street on the Wapper square, with its visitor entrance at Hopland 13. Rubens designed parts of the property himself, and art lovers come to see the Italianate palazzo where Flanders’ greatest Baroque painter lived, worked, and ran his workshop.
The museum is in the middle of a phased renovation. The historic residence is temporarily closed for restoration, but the Rubens Experience, the library, and the Baroque garden are open. The Rubens Experience presents the painter in his many roles, including artist, diplomat, scholar, and family man. In the garden, visitors can see the triumphal portico and garden pavilion that Rubens conceived, which are some of Antwerp’s most important Baroque architecture. During the works, much of the paintings collection is touring museums in Belgium and abroad, so check what is on display before you go.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
Book timed tickets online and confirm current hours on the official site. Weekday mornings are the quietest time to visit, while summer weekends draw the biggest crowds. Antwerpen-Centraal station is roughly a 15-minute walk away along the Meir. To see Rubens’ masterpieces in their original settings, continue to the Cathedral of Our Lady or St. James’ Church, where Rubens is buried.
