Plantin-Moretus: A Museum for Book Lovers

Of the 1,154 properties included on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites, there is but one museum. Situated inside a 16th-century publishing house in the heart of Antwerp, the little-known Plantin-Moretus Museum has been recognized for its significant contributions to the history of printing and book publishing. With an impressive collection that includes a remarkably well-preserved 16th-century workshop, historical instruments, and thousands of prints, books, and maps that span the centuries, this unique museum provides a rare glimpse inside one of the world’s earliest publishing houses.

The Printing Revolution

In 1440, Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press revolutionized western society and forever changed the way information was disseminated. The introduction of moveable-type enabled books to be mass-produced for the first time which made them more widely available. This was an important turning point in the history of Europe and ushered in a new modern era. A century after Gutenberg’s revolutionary invention, the production of books and other printed materials had become a thriving industry with printing houses being established in towns and cities all over Europe, including the prosperous city of Antwerp.

In 1550, French bookbinder Christophe Plantin moved with his family to Antwerp and within five years, he had established a successful commercial printing workshop, the Officina Plantiniana. By 1576, Plantin’s workshop was operating 22 printing presses and employed 80 people, making it the largest of its kind anywhere in the world. The company was one of the most prolific and highly-regarded publishing houses of its time, earning a reputation for producing works of the highest quality.

Plantin was succeeded by his apprentice and son-in-law, Jan Moretus and the company was passed down through the family for three centuries, operating well into the 19th century. The Plantin-Moretus family was a veritable printing dynasty spanning an astonishing nine generations. When operations finally ceased in 1867, the house and workshop were sold to the city of Antwerp and reopened as a museum.

Since the company operated here continuously for over 300 years with very little change, the equipment, tools, and meticulous records that were kept by the family provide a complete picture of the day-to-day operations of this historic publishing house. The archives alone, which have also been recognized by UNESCO as part of its “Memory of the World” list of intangible cultural heritage, are an invaluable historical resource.

Time Stands Still

At the heart of the complex is the printing hall where all the magic happened. It looks much as it did in its heyday 400 years ago, so walking through it feels like stepping back in time. Of the seven printing presses on display here, five are still in working order. The other two, dating back to around 1600, are the world’s oldest surviving printing presses.

Also on display are cases of original lead type. During his lifetime, Christophe Plantin obtained type from the leading typefounders of the day. While most printing houses disposed of their collections of older types in the 18th and 19th centuries in response to changing tastes, the Plantin-Moretus company “piously preserved the collection of its founder.” Included in this extensive collection is the only surviving copy of the original Garamond letter dies, a font which is still widely used today.

The building was both the workshop and the private home of the Moretus family. The living quarters which also form part of the museum are beautifully decorated with 17th-century art and furniture. This is a fine example of an upper-class home of its day and provides visitors with a peek inside the daily life of this dynamic family. Adorning the walls are family portraits painted by Peter Paul Rubens, who was a close family friend. The famous painter lived and worked in Antwerp in the 16th and 17th centuries. His home, which is now a museum as well, is not far from the Plantin-Moretus Museum and is also well worth a visit.

A Treasured Collection

The Plantin-Moretus Museum is well curated with thematically arranged rooms and displays. While celebrating the history of the company and the Plantin-Moretus family, it also provides a fascinating look at the larger history of book publishing and the printing process itself. Its vast collections include prints, maps, manuscripts, and some 30,000 books, among them a rare Gutenberg bible and the first printed atlas.

The library, with its impressive collection of rare historical books, is one of the highlights of the museum. Started by Plantin himself in 1653 and expanded by his descendants over the years, the library is arranged in a humanistic style with globes, busts, lecterns, and high shelves filled with books. When the house became a museum in 1876, curators began acquiring original Plantin-Moretus editions. The museum now owns 90 percent of the works printed here which makes it the most complete collection of Plantin-Moretus books in the world.

As a history lover, a bibliophile, and a museum nerd, I was utterly captivated by this charming museum. So much more than just a museum, it’s a living history site, an archive, an art gallery, a library, and a treasure trove. Here the story of the printing press and the monumental impact it had on the history of western civilization is lovingly told through the lens of one of its earliest and most prolific proponents.

Further Reading

• Plantin-Moretus Museum website: https://museumplantinmoretus.be/en
• UNESCO: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1185/
• History of printing in Europe: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1632/the-printing-revolution-in-renaissance-europe/
• Rubenshuis (home of Peter Paul Rubens): https://rubenshuis.be/en