Rubens House Antwerp 2026 — Tickets, Hours & What's Open

What is the Rubens House?

The Home and Studio of Antwerp's Greatest Painter

The Rubenshuis is the house where Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640) lived and worked for almost 30 years. He bought it in 1610 and turned it into an Italian-style palazzo, with a studio, a triumphal portico and a garden he called his paradise.

Right now, the house itself is closed for restoration, a project expected to run until 2030 at the earliest. Since August 2024, visits begin at the new building on Hopland, with the Rubens Experience, the redesigned garden and the library.

This guide explains what you can see today, what tickets cost, and how to combine the visit with the places in Antwerp where Rubens's original masterpieces hang.

Read the full history →

Entrance Hopland 13 · 2000 Antwerp

Opening Hours 10:00–17:00 weekdays · 10:00–18:00 weekends · closed Wednesdays

Ticket Prices Full €12 · Ages 18–25 €8 · Under 18 free

What's Open Rubens Experience, garden & library

Under Restoration Rubens's residence, until 2030 at the earliest

From Central Station About 10 minutes on foot

Open Now

What You Can See at the Rubens House

The Rubens Experience

The new visitor centre tells Rubens's life through an audiovisual show, interactive stations and original objects, including his self-portrait. His great canvases appear life-size and in close-up detail, on screens.

The Garden

Rubens called it his 'paradise on earth'. Redesigned with 17,500 plants, citrus trees, roses and tulips, and inspired by his painting 'The Walk in the Garden', it was given colour advice by Antwerp designer Dries Van Noten.

The Portico & Pavilion

Rubens designed his own triumphal portico, linking house and garden, and the small garden pavilion at the far end. Both survive from his time and form the backdrop to the garden.

The Baroque studio façade in the courtyard of the Rubens House

The Courtyard & Library

Walk through to the courtyard to see the sculpted façade of Rubens's studio wing, closed for restoration. On weekdays, the free library holds about 100,000 books and documents on Rubens and Flemish art.

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Best Rubens & Antwerp Tours

The Rubens House sells its own tickets. These are the tours and tickets that complete the visit: a walk that stops at the house, the museum with his masterpieces, and day trips from Brussels.

Antwerp-Central station, where the Highlights walk begins

★ 5.0 34 reviews Stops at Rubens House

Antwerp Highlights Walk with the Rubens House

Central Station to the Meir in two hours, with the story of Rubens told at the Rubens House, plus the Diamond District, a chocolate shop and the old Stock Exchange. No museum entries.

The grand staircase hall of the KMSKA, hung with large paintings

★ 4.6 48 reviews Rubens Masterpieces

KMSKA Fine Arts Museum Ticket

The official ticket to Antwerp's fine arts museum, home to the city's largest group of Rubens paintings, alongside Van Eyck, Van Dyck and Ensor. Lockers, Wi-Fi and the museum app included.

The Grote Markt of Antwerp with the Brabo fountain and guildhalls

★ 4.8 823 reviews Best Seller

Old City Walking Tour (Tip-Based)

Antwerp's most-booked walk: two hours through the medieval heart from Het Steen with a volunteer guide. You pay only a small booking fee and tip the guide what you think it was worth.

The grand hall of Antwerp Central Station

★ 4.5 104 reviews From Brussels

Antwerp Day Trip from Brussels by Train

A local guide takes you by train from Brussels to Antwerp for the day: Central Station, the Diamond District, the Rubens House, the Cathedral of Our Lady and the old town. Return train ticket included.

Medieval guildhalls along the Graslei in Ghent

★ 4.6 1,253 reviews Two Cities

Antwerp & Ghent Day Tour from Brussels

Two Flemish cities in one day by coach from Brussels, with guided walks in Antwerp and Ghent in English or Spanish. The most-reviewed Antwerp trip on GetYourGuide. Entrance tickets not included.

★ 4.8 263 reviews Top Rated

Antwerp Highlights Bike Tour

Two hours on two wheels with a local guide: the historic centre and the neighbourhoods walking tours don't reach. Bike, helmet and rain poncho included; starts on Paradijsstraat.

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Live Availability

Antwerp Highlights Walk with the Rubens House: Check Dates

Prices shown in USD. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Powered by GetYourGuide.

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House, Museum or Guided Walk?

What You Get	Rubens House Ticket€12 · official site	KMSKA Museum TicketFrom $26	Highlights Walk Top RatedFrom $50
Rubens's home & garden	✓ Experience + garden	—	✓ Outside, with the story
Original Rubens paintings	Self-portrait	✓ City's largest collection	—
Guide	—	—	✓
Antwerp highlights	—	—	✓ Station to the Meir
Duration	About 1 hour	2–3 hours	2 hours
Booking	Official site · timed slot	GetYourGuide · official ticket	GetYourGuide · free cancellation
Best for	Rubens's life story and his garden	Seeing his original paintings	First-timers who want Antwerp and Rubens explained
Ready to book?	Official Tickets	Book KMSKA Ticket	Book the Walk

Beyond the House

Where to See Rubens in Antwerp

While the residence is closed, these four places hold his greatest work and his story.

Cathedral of Our Lady

Four Masterpieces

The Elevation of the Cross, The Descent from the Cross, The Resurrection and The Assumption of the Virgin. The two great triptychs alone justify the trip to Antwerp. Entry about €12.

St James's Church

Rubens's Tomb

Rubens was buried here in 1640. His burial chapel, behind the high altar, has one of his late paintings, Our Lady with Saints, chosen for the place.

Plantin-Moretus

The Printer's House

Rubens designed title pages for this famous printing house, and painted portraits of the family. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, ten minutes from the Grote Markt.

Snijders&Rockox House

The Mayor's Friend

Nicolaas Rockox, mayor of Antwerp, was Rubens's friend and patron. His house, beside the painter Frans Snijders's, shows Antwerp art as collectors of the time enjoyed it.

Plan Your Visit

What to Know Before You Go

Book a Time Slot

The Rubens Experience has timed entry and limited capacity. Book online and arrive 15 minutes early. If it is sold out, a garden ticket still gets you in.

Not on Wednesdays

The garden and Experience are closed every Wednesday, as well as 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. Plan the KMSKA or the cathedral for that day.

Know What's Closed

Rubens's residence and studio are under restoration until 2030 at the earliest. You see them from the garden and walk through to the courtyard and portico.

Bring a Card

The museum is cashless. Pay by card or phone at the desk.

Free Under 18

Under-18s are free, ages 18–25 pay €8. The Antwerp City Pass and the Belgian museum pass also give free entry.

See the Real Paintings

Combine the house with the Cathedral of Our Lady and the KMSKA for Rubens's great canvases. All three are within a short walk or tram ride.

Common Questions

Rubens House FAQ

Is the Rubens House open?

Partly. Since 30 August 2024 you can visit the new Rubens Experience, the redesigned garden and the library. Rubens's residence itself is closed for restoration, with completion expected by 2030 at the earliest. From the garden you still see the house, the portico and the garden pavilion.

How much does the Rubens House cost?

A ticket for the Rubens Experience and the garden costs €12 for visitors over 25 and €8 for ages 18 to 25. Under-18s enter free. A garden-only ticket is €8 (€6 reduced). The library is free.

Do I need to book Rubens House tickets in advance?

It is recommended. The Rubens Experience has limited capacity and timed entry, so book a slot online and arrive 15 minutes early. If it is full, you can still buy a garden ticket. The museum is cashless: pay by card or phone.

What are the opening hours?

The garden and the Rubens Experience open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:00 to 17:00, and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00. They are closed every Wednesday, and on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.

What is the Rubens Experience?

It is the new visitor centre at Hopland 13. Through an audiovisual show, interactive applications and original objects, including Rubens's self-portrait, it tells his story as artist, diplomat, husband and father, from Antwerp to Rome, London, Paris and Madrid. His paintings are shown life-size and in close-up on screens.

When will Rubens's house reopen?

No date has been set. The restoration of the residence and the neighbouring Kolveniershof is the second phase of the project, and the museum says it will take until 2030 at the earliest.

Where can I see real Rubens paintings in Antwerp?

The Cathedral of Our Lady has four great altarpieces, including The Elevation of the Cross and The Descent from the Cross. The KMSKA fine arts museum has the city's largest Rubens collection. St James's Church holds his tomb, and St Paul's Church and the Snijders&Rockox House have more of his work.

How long does a visit take?

Allow about an hour for the Rubens Experience and the garden, a little more if you want to linger in the garden or browse the library. With the cathedral and the KMSKA, Rubens's Antwerp makes a full day.

Is the Rubens House worth visiting during the renovation?

Yes, if you go in with the right expectations. The Experience is a modern introduction to Rubens rather than a historic house visit, and the garden, inspired by his own paintings, is lovely in every season. Pair it with the cathedral or the KMSKA to see his original paintings.

Is the Rubens House free with the Antwerp City Pass?

Yes. Holders of the Antwerp City Pass, the Belgian museum pass (museumPASSmusées) and ICOM cards enter free, as do under-18s. Antwerp residents with an A-card get in free on the first Tuesday of the month.

Is the Rubens House accessible?

Yes. The new building has a lift and adapted toilets, two free wheelchairs can be reserved by email, and the garden has wide paths. Guide dogs are welcome and companions of visitors with a disability enter free.

Which tour should I book?

In Antwerp, the two-hour Highlights walking tour stops at the Rubens House and tells his story, from $50. For Rubens's paintings, book the KMSKA ticket. Coming from Brussels, the day trip by train includes a local guide and the Rubens House on the route.

View from Rubens's portico to the garden pavilion

Need More Help?

Planning a Rubens day in Antwerp, or a trip from Brussels: ask us.

Insider Guide

Everything You Need to Know About the Rubens House

The palace Rubens built, the life he lived in it, and what the museum looks like today.

A Painter's Palace

In 1610, a year after marrying Isabella Brant, Rubens bought a house on what was then the Vaartstraat, now the Wapper, and began to transform it. He designed the extension himself, in the style of the Italian palaces he had studied during eight years in Italy.

The result combined a traditional Flemish house with a Baroque studio wing, a courtyard and a garden: a home that announced who he was.

The Studio That Worked Like a Workshop

Rubens ran one of the most productive studios in Europe. Assistants and collaborators, including at times the young Anthony van Dyck, worked on large commissions, while Rubens designed the compositions and finished the key passages himself.

Clients came to the house to see works in progress, and the studio was built to impress them.

The Portico

Between the courtyard and the garden, Rubens built a triumphal portico inspired by ancient Roman architecture, with sculpted gods and Latin quotations from the satirist Juvenal.

It is one of the few original parts of the house, and it appears in the background of several of his own paintings.

Painter and Diplomat

Rubens was also a trusted envoy of the Spanish Netherlands. He helped negotiate peace between Spain and England in 1629–1630 and was knighted by Charles I of England.

He spoke several languages and corresponded with scholars across Europe, and much of that business was done from this house.

Two Marriages

Isabella Brant died in 1626. Four years later, Rubens married Helena Fourment, then 16, who appears in many of his late paintings.

He died in the house on 30 May 1640 and was buried in St James's Church, a few minutes' walk away.

From Ruin to Museum

After Rubens's death the house was let and then sold, and it was altered so much over the centuries that little of his palace remained visible.

A legacy from the architect Henri Blomme helped the city buy it in 1937. It was restored and opened as a museum in 1946.

The New Rubenshuis

In 2023 the museum closed for a long renewal. The first phase opened on 30 August 2024: a new entrance building at Hopland 13 by Robbrecht en Daem architecten, shaped like two great bookcases, with the Rubens Experience, the library and the replanted garden.

The second phase, the restoration of the residence, is still under way.

Rubens's Antwerp

Antwerp is still full of Rubens. His altarpieces fill the cathedral, his tomb is in St James's, and the KMSKA has rooms of his paintings.

A day following his footsteps, from the house to the churches and the museum, is the best way to understand why he still matters to the city.

Practical Advice From People Who've Been

Set Expectations

Some visitors arrive expecting to walk through Rubens's rooms. During the restoration you won't; the Experience is a modern, screen-based introduction. Knowing that makes it enjoyable.

Garden in Spring

The garden is designed to look good all year, but April and May bring the tulips and peonies Rubens painted. Weekday mornings are the quietest.

Cathedral First

See The Descent from the Cross in the cathedral before or after the house. Seeing the real paintings is what brings the Experience's screens to life.

Day Trip From Brussels

Antwerp is about 40 to 50 minutes from Brussels by train. Go on your own, or book a guided day trip with the return ticket included.

Rubens House Antwerp: Tickets, Tours & What's Open