Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library

Due to a technical glitch, you can temporarily buy only general museum tickets online. Tickets for activities will not be available for the time being.
The website cannot be updated temporarily either. The information was last updated on 6 December 2022.

De magische Nottebohmzaal van de Erfgoedbibliotheek Hendrik Conscience

The Nottebohm Room open to individual visitors

The Nottebohm Room is a hidden gem. This prestigious library space shines in all its facets. And from this autumn you can also discover the magic of this unique place in the heart of Antwerp on your own.

Reading room

In our reading room you can consult all collection items of the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library. You can also search our digital databases and have reproductions made. And for those who want to get to know the library and its heritage collections in more detail, there are our introductory sessions or workshops.

Fellowship Programme

Early printed books in Antwerp

The Plantin-Moretus Museum and the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library (Antwerp) are pleased to announce a fellowship programme 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.

Practical information

Do you intend to visit our library to consult a publication or visit our stunning Nottebohm Room? Below you can find all the practical information you need, from the opening hours to information for wheelchair users and accessibility.

Newsletter for researchers

Are you a researcher? Do you want to keep up to date with the newest developments in the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library? Consider subscribing to our international newsletter.

Contact us

Contact us with your questions or for further information. You can use our general contact details for this. Contact one of our employees directly for specific questions.

The Blaeu globes

Two of the masterpieces in the collection of the Nottebohm Room are Blaeu’s celestial and terrestrial globes. Our online exhibition discusses their history, their maker, their relevance and their restoration.

The Nottebohm Room

The Nottebohm Room is a hidden gem. The first 150,000 items in the library’s catalogue are preserved here in a breath-taking, historical setting. The doors only swing open for exhibitions, lectures, concerts or guided tours. And when they do, it’s like a breath of magic.

History

The building and the collection both are considered Flemish heritage. The story of the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library started in 1481, with 41 books. Today it is one of the most important heritage libraries in Flanders.

The library for Dutch literature, Flemish cultural heritage and the history of Antwerp