ANTWERP.- Antwerp will open the doors to some of its most distinctive historic buildings on Sunday, September 13, as the city marks the 38th edition of Open Monument Day. This year, however, the focus extends beyond architecture to the people who help keep the city’s heritage alive.

Under the theme “In Good Hands,” Open Monument Day 2026 will highlight the volunteers, neighborhood groups and associations that maintain, restore and safeguard historic sites across Antwerp. The initiative coincides with Belgium’s 2026 Year of the Volunteer, giving the city an opportunity to recognize the people whose work often happens quietly behind the scenes.

Visitors will be able to explore monuments throughout greater Antwerp, from familiar landmarks in the historic center to lesser-known buildings and industrial heritage sites in the surrounding districts. Admission to all participating locations is free, although some tours and activities require advance reservations.

Among this year’s highlights is the opportunity to visit the Regelbau 618 communications bunker, which is being presented to the public as part of the program. Other experiences range from climbing Antwerp’s historic harbor cranes and touring the Brewers’ House to exploring the former Seamen’s House, known as the Stella Maris site.





The program also opens doors to places that reveal the city’s industrial and maritime history. Visitors can tour the Flanders Hydraulics Research Laboratory, where water engineering and research take center stage, or step aboard historic vessels at the city’s Dry Dock Site.

Antwerp City Hall will also welcome visitors, offering a closer look at one of the city’s most prominent civic landmarks. In Berendrecht, participants can follow the work of the miller who keeps the historic Buitenmolen operating, while the Maagdenhuis will introduce visitors to Houten Clara, its historic mascot.

Several participating sites will draw attention specifically to the volunteers who care for them. Filmhuis Klappei, for example, will invite visitors to hear directly from the people whose commitment helps sustain the historic cinema and cultural venue.

Mayor Els van Doesburg, who is responsible for heritage, said the people caring for Antwerp’s monuments are just as important as the buildings themselves. Their work, she noted, preserves both the physical structures and the stories connected to them, allowing the city’s heritage to remain meaningful for future generations.

The full program is available at www.openmonumentendagantwerpen.be, where visitors can find information about participating sites, architectural and historical background, reservation requirements and a map for planning visits to locations near one another.

By placing the people behind the monuments at the center of this year’s celebration, Antwerp’s Open Monument Day presents heritage not simply as a collection of historic buildings, but as something continuously maintained, interpreted and passed forward by the communities that care for it.