Antwerp attractions: how to choose and plan your visits
Antwerp's main sights spread between the old docks of the Eilandje and Het Zuid. The MAS tower and the Red Star Line Museum sit within walking distance of each other on the waterfront, while KMSKA anchors Het Zuid and the Plantin-Moretus Museum sits in the old centre. That spread makes a neat two-day plan, or one busy day if you pick carefully.
Some of the best views cost nothing. At MAS, the escalator route to the roof and the Boulevard displays are free, while the paid floors tell the city and port story and take about two hours. Elsewhere, KMSKA asks for a ticket and rewards half a day among five centuries of painting, with Rubens and the Ensor collection at its heart.
Booking ahead is sensible for each museum, but especially the Plantin-Moretus, which is closed for renovation from 3 August to 4 December. The Red Star Line Museum closes on Mondays, so save it for another day and arrive between 10:00 and 17:00. Allow two hours there for the emigrant story in the former warehouses.
| Place | Time to allow | Cost | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| MAS Antwerp | 3-4 hours | paid floors; free Boulevard, roof and Schaudepot | Eilandje, Hanzestedenplaats 1 |
| KMSKA Antwerp | half a day | Paid entry | Leopold de Waelplaats, Het Zuid |
| Red Star Line Museum, Antwerp | 2 hours | – | Eilandje, Montevideostraat 3 |
| Plantin-Moretus Museum, Antwerp | 2-3 hours | – | Vrijdagmarkt 22, old centre |
Antwerp attraction guides
MAS Antwerp: Visiting the Museum aan de Stroom
A red stone tower on the old docks combines a city-and-port museum with a free escalator route to a rooftop view. Allow two hours for the paid floors, plus the same again for the free displays and quays.
3-4 hours · paid floors; free Boulevard, roof and Schaudepot · Book ahead · Best for city and port history, architecture
KMSKA Antwerp: Visiting the Royal Museum of Fine Arts
Antwerp's royal fine arts museum holds five centuries of painting, with Rubens given a leading role and the world's most important Ensor collection at its centre. Budget around three hours, then finish among the cafés of Het Zuid.
half a day · Paid entry · Book ahead · Best for art lovers wanting Rubens and Ensor
Red Star Line Museum, Antwerp: Visiting Guide
Antwerp's emigrant story unfolds inside the shipping line's own former warehouses, where luggage was handled and papers checked. It rewards slow reading, so budget two hours and build the visit into a half-day in the surrounding dockland.
2 hours · Book ahead · Best for migration and port history fans
Plantin-Moretus Museum, Antwerp: What to See and How Long It Takes
Temporarily closed: Closed for renovation from 3 August to 4 December; the reading room stays open for research visits.
Nine generations of the Plantin-Moretus family printed here, and the wooden presses still stand in the rooms where they worked. Give it two to three hours, but check the calendar first: renovation closes the museum from 3 August to 4 December.
2-3 hours · Book ahead · Best for printing and book history fans
Booking ahead at Antwerp's museums
Booking is recommended for MAS, KMSKA, the Red Star Line Museum and the Plantin-Moretus Museum. At MAS, reserve the paid floors, though the roof and Boulevard stay free without a ticket. KMSKA is paid throughout and worth securing in advance for a half-day visit. The Red Star Line Museum also recommends booking, and doors are open 10:00 to 17:00 on the days it runs. Plantin-Moretus likewise suggests booking, but check the calendar first given its renovation closure.
Renovation and Monday closures to plan around
The Plantin-Moretus Museum is closed for renovation from 3 August to 4 December; the reading room remains open for research visits. Outside those dates, give it two to three hours. The Red Star Line Museum closes every Monday, so plan around it. If a closure affects your dates, the MAS free roof and escalator route make a fine substitute on a Monday.