See the tulips in all their glory!

In the early 17th century, everyone coveted tulips for their garden. At the time, tulips were considered the epitome of luxury and wealth. Rubens was no different, even adding some tulips to his painting, The Walk in the Garden. 

This spring, you have an opportunity to step inside his masterpiece and see the 1,000 tulip varieties that have been planted in the redesigned garden of the Rubenshuis in bloom. A true feast for the senses and a cross-pollination between past and present.

Why was this place so important to Rubens? How did tulips spawn a speculative frenzy and crash in 1637? And what do you know about the Antwerp tulip mania? Head to the Rubenshuis this spring for the lowdown on all things tulips. Visit the garden and take part in the many events and activities.

• from April 2025, depending on the flowering of the tulips
• closed on Wednesdays, check our opening hours

Did Rubens feel the same sense of peace and tranquillity as visitors do today? Did he yearn for silence, as many of us do today in our busy, digital world? Reference works about this imposing garden lead us to assume that it certainly was the green heart of the complex and that it was seeded, enchanting and full of greenery. The colour advice by Dries Van Noten also adds colour to the garden, so as to create an oasis in the middle of the city.  

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