Nicolaas Rockox was a close friend and patron of Peter Paul Rubens, and his house served as a frequent meeting place for local intellectuals.
The museum complex integrates two distinct historic houses that were originally separate properties connected by a shared garden space.
The 'Rockox Room' displays a recreation of the mayor's art collection based on a probate inventory compiled after his death in 1640.
Frans Snijders, who lived next door, was one of the most significant still-life and animal painters of the Flemish school.
The property contains a rare example of a 17th-century-style urban garden in the heart of Antwerp.
The restoration prioritized maintaining the authentic atmosphere of a 17th-century residence rather than a conventional white-walled gallery space.
The Snijders&Rockoxhuis is a historic museum complex formed by the 17th-century residences of Mayor Nicolaas Rockox and painter Frans Snijders in Antwerp. It functions as a house museum showcasing the private art collections of these prominent figures from the Flemish Golden Age. The interior retains its original character, featuring period-accurate restoration and 17th-century furnishings. The collection includes notable paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, and the house’s namesake, Frans Snijders. Visitors walk through historically reconstructed rooms, including the famous 'Rockox Room' which displays paintings as they might have appeared in a 17th-century civic leader's home. The site is known for its quiet, enclosed Baroque city garden. It serves as a study site for the interplay between art, civic governance, and social life in Antwerp’s merchant-class history.
The restored 17th-century interior with its view of the inner garden courtyard.
Visit the garden area at the back of the property for a quiet break from the urban environment.
Check the museum's website for temporary exhibitions that often place contemporary themes in dialogue with the historic collection.
Use the provided museum guides to identify specific works commissioned by Rockox from his peers.
Rushing through the rooms; the house is intended for slow observation of the art and furniture placement.
Closed on Mondays.
