Prestigious Nottebohm Room opens to public

For years, the prestigious Nottebohm Room in Antwerp has been the setting for the hotly anticipated Nottebohm Lectures. What is new is that the historic library space is now open to individual visitors. From 17 November, everyone can admire the impressive hall, which seems to come straight out of the world of Harry Potter.

Magical, overwhelming, breathtaking ... the extraordinary beauty and authentic atmosphere of the Nottebohm Room are difficult to put into words. The historic library space of Antwerp's Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library will open its doors to individual visitors this autumn.

An undeniable wow feeling

The Nottebohm Room is the hidden gem of the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library. As soon as they step into the hall, visitors smell the scent of the 120,000 old books and hear the sounds of the city hushed. Strolling across the creaky parquet, they discover Blaeu's iconic globes and all the other masterpieces kept there.

Starting this autumn, the curious among us can explore the Nottebohm Room on their own. From 17 November, individual visitors will be most welcome there Wednesday through Sunday. Tickets cost 8 euros and can be purchased online.

Practical information

Individual visit

  • Nottebohm Room, Hendrik Conscienceplein 4, 2000 Antwerp
  • from 17 November 2022 through 26 February 2023 and from 20 April 2023 through 9 September 2023
  • from Wednesday through Sunday, always from 1pm to 5pm – last admission at 4:30pm
  • standard ticket 8 euros via https://consciencebibliotheek.be/en – Click here for the direct link.

Copyright pictures: LUCID

Pers cultuur Antwerpen

Persteam cultuur, Stad Antwerpen

 

About Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library

The Hendrik Consciene Heritage Library offers a quiet place to study and read, right in the city centre. The library has collected and preserved Flemish cultural heritage in manuscript and print spanning more than five centuries, making it a major research library for anyone wishing to dig into Antwerp's history, Dutch en Flemisch literature or the history of Flanders. In the reading room you can request and browse the library's impressive collection totalling more than 1.5 million volumes. These include manuscripts, early editions, historical newspapers and magazines, als well as contemporary books and periodicals up to the most recent publications.

However, the Heritage Library's must-see venue is its historical Nottebohm Room, situated in the oldest part of the library and considered one of the most beautiful library rooms. Besides being a book storage facility and exhibit space, the Room is also the library's treasury where some of the highlights from the collections are kept on permanent display.