Plantin Moretus, Antwerp

The story of the Museum of Plantin Moretus starts in 1550, when Christophe Plantin and his wife moved from France to Antwerp. Shortly after his arrival he established his printing company, which became a huge success. For nine generations his family continued to inhabit their house in Antwerp, and were the leading printers in the Vrijdagmarkt in Antwerp.  Their home has now become a museum open to the public. 

Plantin took for his motto, which is still carved in stone, ‘labour and perseverance’.  In 1555 he published his first book and shortly afterward prominent writers and scientists began to engage his printing services. Plantin possessed the business acumen required at the time, and within 20 years his firm was ranked among the top in Europe. 

The museum exhibits 300 years of book printing and family history.  The old printing presses are now still, but they remain in position and are a work of art themselves. Platin Moretus is thought to contain the oldest printing press in the world. Both the original residence, as well as the workshop, can still be seen. 

Christophe Plantin and his wife had 5 daughters. One of the daughters married Jan Moretus, and it is the Moretus family name that lasted the generations. The last owner, Edward Moretus, sold the house to the City of Antwerp in 1876. Today, exhibitions highlight both printing and daily life in the house itself.