Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp holds one of Belgium's finest collections, particularly strong in Flemish and Dutch painting. The museum traces its roots to 1810 when Napoleon ordered collections from disbanded monasteries gathered into a public museum. The current building on Leopold de Waelplaats, designed by Frans Van Dijk and Jacob Winders, opened in 1890. Antwerp's position as a major artistic center from the 15th through 17th centuries means the museum displays works by artists who lived and worked in the city.

The collection's greatest strength lies in works by Peter Paul Rubens, who maintained his studio in Antwerp and created altarpieces for local churches. The museum holds the world's largest Rubens collection, with masterpieces spanning his entire career. Works by Van Dyck, Jacob Jordaens, and earlier Flemish masters like Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling document the region's artistic dominance. After major renovation, the museum reopened in 2022.