Antwerp’s essential photography museum — where image history, contemporary practice and emerging talent meet.
- Historical and contemporary photography
- Major retrospectives
- FOMU collection exhibitions
- Emerging Belgian photography
- Experimental image-making
- Photography, video and installation
- A rare historic Kaiserpanorama in the current Families exhibition
Check what’s on before you go. FOMU often runs several strong exhibitions at once, so it is worth prioritising one major show and one collection-based display rather than rushing through everything.
Don’t miss - The collection exhibitions and current temporary programme — FOMU’s strength lies in the mix of archive, history and current photography.
Nearby route ideas
Antwerp photography route
FOMU → Photo Museum district / Zuid → contemporary galleries around Antwerp South
The strongest route if photography is your focus.
Contemporary Antwerp
FOMU → M HKA → galleries in Zuid
A very coherent pairing: photography + broader contemporary art, all in the same part of the city.
Slow Antwerp art day
FOMU in the morning → lunch in Zuid → M HKA or galleries → riverside walk.
Image + design route
FOMU → MoMu → design / fashion stops in central Antwerp
A strong Artlovers combination for travellers interested in photography, fashion and visual culture.
About the venue
About
FOMU — Photo Museum Antwerp is one of Belgium’s leading institutions dedicated to photography and visual culture. Located at Waalsekaai 47 in Antwerp, the museum combines historical and contemporary photography, collection-based exhibitions, major retrospectives, experimental image-making and programmes supporting emerging Belgian photographers. Its exhibitions span documentary work, conceptual photography, video, installation and photographic technologies, while initiatives such as .tiff help introduce new talent. In 2026, FOMU presents exhibitions including Carrie Mae Weems, Families from the museum collection, Kelvin Haizel and .tiff 2026, followed by major autumn shows dedicated to Graciela Iturbide and Léonard Pongo. For art travellers, FOMU is an essential stop in Antwerp and works especially well as part of a wider contemporary-art route through the Zuid district.
Worth the trip
Because FOMU is more than a place to see photographs. It combines historical photography, contemporary exhibitions, collection displays, emerging Belgian talent and research into how images are made, circulated and remembered.
© Google FOMU — Photo Museum Antwerp
