Chocolate Nation
Experience museum about Belgian chocolate next to Antwerp-Central station, with fifteen theme rooms, an audio guide and a tasting.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Chocolate Nation is an independent private initiative by a team of chocolate lovers who set out to discover the story behind Belgian chocolate. According to its makers, that story had never been told as a whole before. They chose Antwerp as their home base because Belgium's first chocolate factory opened there in 1845. The chocolate maker Barry Callebaut, based in Wieze since 1911, is one of the partners; many other brands and craftspeople are also featured.
The museum covers about 4,000 m² and is located opposite Antwerp-Central station on the Koningin Astridplein. It is described as the largest Belgian chocolate museum in the world.
Across fifteen theme rooms you follow the cocoa bean from the plantations around the equator to the chocolatier. Audiovisual installations, smells and tastes tell the story of craftsmanship, inventions and the brands that put Belgium on the chocolate map. You finish in the Smaakhemel, where you taste and compare ten types of chocolate. A personal audio guide accompanies you throughout the route.
Highlights
- Fifteen theme rooms on the journey from cocoa bean to praline
- Personal audio guide in eight languages, included in the ticket
- The Smaakhemel, with ten types of chocolate to taste
- Chocolate workshops and an in-house chocolate shop
- Foodbar and Octave restaurant
- Fully wheelchair-accessible, with lifts
Permanent exhibition
- Chocolate Nation: het Belgische chocolademuseum – Fifteen theme rooms on the journey from cocoa bean to Belgian praline, with audiovisual installations, smells, tastes and a tasting in the Smaakhemel.
- Operated by
- The Belgian Chocolate Experience NV
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €19.90 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €18.50Young people aged 12 to 17, students aged 18 to 25 and groups of 15 people or more |
| Children & teens | €14.50Rate for children aged 4 to 11. |
| Seniors | €19.90Rate for over-67s; no further discount. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –The necessary companion of a person with a disability receives 50% off and buys the ticket at the box office; online booking is not possible. |
| Students & apprentices | €18.50Student rate for ages 18 to 25. |
| Groups (15+ people) | €18.50 per personGroups of 15 people or more. |
| Schools (from, per person) | €11.50Adapted rate; contact school@chocolatenation.be. |
All prices include 6% VAT.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The entire museum is wheelchair-accessible, with wide corridors and lifts; anyone with limited mobility or using a wheelchair should use the entrance to the left of the main entrance, which has a special lift. A wheelchair can be reserved in advance via info@chocolatenation.be. Deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors can use an app with text and images in five languages, and can connect the audio guide to headphones or an induction loop. Assistance dogs are admitted. There is a guide for visitors with autism; those with epilepsy or claustrophobia will find tips for a comfortable visit on the website.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
Children aged 4 to 11 pay a children's rate; there is an adapted rate and a separate offer for schools. The website has an FAQ section for children and families.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Antwerpen-Centraal
The museum is opposite Antwerp-Central railway station.
Address for GPS: Koningin Astridplein 7, 2018 Antwerp. Tram and bus, train, car and bicycle are explained on the museum's website.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
In Foodbar Octave you can have lunch or coffee during the day; from Wednesday to Saturday there is restaurant Octave in the evening, serving modern Belgian cuisine with a touch of chocolate. The chocolate shop is freely accessible during opening hours, even without a ticket.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
Possibilities for meetings, team building, seminars and corporate events.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Audio guide | yes (NL, FR, EN, DE, ES, IT, PT, ZH) |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | You follow the route with a personal audio guide; the visit runs in tours, and the first tour starts at 9:45. The first rooms are dark and have automatic doors. Besides the museum, there are chocolate workshops. |
