Plantin's Plants

In 2026, the Museum Plantin-Moretus is celebrating the 500th birthday of Carolus Clusius (1526-1609), a doctor and botanist from the Low Countries. With that in mind, the museum is inviting you to come and see the most attractive botanical images from the 16th to the 20th centuries from its own collections. Our focus is on topics such as wild plants, trees, fungi, decorative flowers and fruit and vegetables, as seen in illustrations in old books, and the woodblocks used to print them, but also on exquisite prints and drawings from the modern era.

Together with Rembert Dodoens and Matthias Lobelius, Carolus Clusius was part of a botanical trio from the 16th century that laid the foundations for this important scientific discipline. The majority of works by these authors were published by Christophe Plantin. The Museum Plantin-Moretus still has around 4,000 woodblocks in its collection that were used to print the botanical illustrations in those books. The items on display in the exhibition were selected with the help of external partners, such as the parks service and Natuurpunt. Even the city poet, Esohe Weyden, has provided a floral contribution.

When

• 21 March to 2 August 2026
• During the museum’s opening hours

Price

• The exhibition is included in your museum admission ticket.