The collection of broadside ballads

The Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library holds a large collection of broadside ballads, ranging from the seventeenth century to the 1950’s and mostly printed in the Southern Netherlands and Belgium. Ballad singers often performed on public markets, hence the Dutch name ‘marktzangers’ and ‘marktliederen’. The last traditional ballad singers performed in the 1950’s.

Blogpost Fabio Della Schiava

Fabio Della Schiava is visiting professor in the history of humanism and neo-Latin Literature at the University of Leuven. Currently, he is working on a project about the reception of St. Augustine’s De civitate Dei. On 17 May he took his students in Latin Literature to the Hendrik Conscience Library for a workshop on Humanism. In this blogpost he gives us a vivid account of their visit.

Travel grant to Antwerp awarded to two international researchers

Earlier this year, the Plantin-Moretus Museum and the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library launched a fellowship programme for research into the history of the early printed book (15th-18th century) in Antwerp. Today this scholarship is granted for the first time.

Verhoeven newspapers digitized

The Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library has a large collection of newspapers. A highlight is the collection of early newspapers published by the Antwerp engraver and printer Abraham Verhoeven (1575-1652). All of Verhoeven’s publications in our collection have been digitized.

Expo 'The Antwerp Songbook'

Fellowship Programme

Early printed books in Antwerp

The Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library and the Museum Plantin-Moretus (Antwerp) are pleased to launch a new call for applications for our fellowship programme. We will award two travel grants for research into the history of the early printed book (15th-18th century) in Antwerp, with the gracious support of the Thierry and Frédéric Nottebohm Grant of the Nottebohm Family Foundation.

Two international scientists get travel grant to Antwerp (2024-2025)

For the fifth time already, two foreign researchers will receive a travel grant to come to Antwerp for their research on the history of the printed book.

Venue rental and filming

Our stunning Nottebohm Room is the perfect setting for a lecture, a seminar, a film shoot or a book launch. You can also rent the Eekhoud Cabinet.

Closing days

The Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library reading room welcomes you throughout the year – except for a few public holidays and on Sundays.

About the Nottebohm Room

The Nottebohm Room is one of the best-kept secrets in Antwerp. It is located in the oldest part of the library and was originally built in 1936 as a ceremonial room. Besides being a book repository and exhibition gallery, it is also used to preserve special donations and collection items. It owes its name to an Antwerp patron of the arts, called Oscar Nottebohm.