Chocolate Nation

From then on, all visits start at 13, Hopland, where the brand-new building by Robbrecht en Daem architects is your gateway to the Rubens Experience, the lush renovated Baroque garden, and the library. A superb architectural design, a colourful museum gallery without a ceiling, 2,000 metres of books and paper, and a unique experience that is entirely geared towards the comfort of visitors. Thanks to technology, visitors can immerse themselves in Rubens’s life and world in the Rubens Experience. Everyone can browse the many thousands of documents in the library as part of their research. The new garden has become the green extension of Rubens’s city palace. The contemporary design features 17,500 plants and flowers and will remain beautiful year-round thanks to the colour advice of Antwerp fashion designer Dries Van Noten. This verdant urban oasis also has a superb view of Rubens’s home. For now, the artist residence is closed as part of the ongoing restoration.