Antwerp has a serious claim to be a fashion capital, and MoMu is where that story is told. The museum stands on the Nationalestraat, in the middle of the city’s fashion quarter, and its current exhibitions include a show on the Antwerp Six, the designers who put the city on the map, a presentation of how the Antwerp fashion department works, and a display of pieces from the museum’s own collection. The shows change, so each visit offers something different, and the museum approaches clothing as design, craft and cultural history rather than simply as glamour. It makes an excellent partner for a shopping walk along the Nationalestraat and the nearby streets, and it appeals to people who have no particular interest in fashion but enjoy exhibitions that tell a clear local story.
What it is
A museum of fashion and costume. The exhibitions on view include The Antwerp Six, LOOKS, LOOKS, LOOKS: The Antwerp Fashion Department at Work and Fashion from the MoMu Collection. Together they place Antwerp’s designers and its famous fashion school in context, and show the process behind the finished garments as well as the garments themselves.
Practical details
MoMu is at Nationalestraat 28 and is open from 10:00 to 18:00, Tuesday to Sunday, with last entry at 17:00. It is closed on Mondays and on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December, though it is open on Easter Monday and Pentecost Monday. Entry is free for visitors under 18 and on the first Tuesday of each month, and several passes and cards also give free admission, so check what applies to you.
Note that from May 2026 to the end of March 2027 renovation of the metro tunnel means trams 3, 5, 9 and 15 stop at Opera instead of Groenplaats, so plan your route with a journey planner.
Making the most of it
Allow about ninety minutes to two hours, and go on a weekday to avoid the weekend crowds. The first Tuesday of the month is free but busier. Pair the museum with a walk through the surrounding fashion district and a coffee stop, and consider the KMSKA museum later in the day for a very different kind of art. Visitors who enjoy the design angle will also like DIVA, which covers jewellery. Check the exhibitions on the museum’s visit page before you go, since they are subject to change.
What to expect
The experience
A fashion museum with changing exhibitions, currently including The Antwerp Six and a show on the Antwerp fashion department.
Best time
Weekday mornings or afternoons; the first Tuesday of the month is free but busier.
How long
About ninety minutes to two hours.
Tips
Last entry is at 17:00, it is closed on Mondays and tram lines have been diverted to Opera until March 2027.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Design lovers and anyone curious about Antwerp’s fashion reputation.
- Families
- Better for teenagers with an interest in fashion than for small children.
- Couples
- A stylish indoor stop combined with shopping streets nearby.
- Pair with
- The DIVA jewellery museum and the Nationalestraat shopping streets.
- Time needed
- About ninety minutes to two hours.
Good questions
Where is MoMu?+
At Nationalestraat 28 in the centre of Antwerp’s fashion district.
When is it open?+
Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:00. It is closed on Mondays and on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
Is there a free day?+
Yes, entry is free on the first Tuesday of each month, and for visitors under 18.
What exhibitions are on?+
Current exhibitions include The Antwerp Six, LOOKS, LOOKS, LOOKS: The Antwerp Fashion Department at Work and Fashion from the MoMu Collection.
Are there public transport changes?+
From May 2026 to the end of March 2027 trams 3, 5, 9 and 15 stop at Opera instead of Groenplaats because of metro tunnel works, so check your route before you travel.
