Antwerp

The Antwerp diamond museum is the largest diamond museum in the world housing over 400 years of priceless diamonds: from necklaces with jade set in, to art-deco items from Paris. For art, design and fashion students, this 'image and sound' driven museum offers a senses stimulating experience. With an audio-guide and optional lectures, workshops and events to partake in, this is a must-do study site in Antwerp.

The Antwerp Fashion Museum offers students a fantastic range of educational opportunities. There are 5 main options to choose from which include: The Bernhard Willhelm Study Day, a guided tour of the exhibition, a guide-led city-wide fashion walk, a custom fashion tour, and a lecture in fashion at De Antwerpse School.

Nestled in one of Antwerp's biggest green spaces, this former royal garden is now home to some 300 open-air works of art. Since 1950, this park has housed some truly unique sculptures from the old in the Middelheim-Hoog section of the park, to the contemporary in the Middelheim-Laag section. Interspersed throughout these unique works of art is an indoor pavilion with more art and a 15th Century farm offering restaurant food and a place to observe the park. This open-air monument to sculptures throughout the ages is a pertinent study site for art students whilst in Antwerp.

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium hosts works from artists such as Jan van Eyck, Memling, Rubens, Ensor, and Permeke. Housing over 20,000 drawings from the 15th Century to present day, the museums extensive collection is an invaluable study site for art and design students whilst in Belgium.

Rubens House is the former studio and home of Peter Paul Rubens, the celebrated baroque artist. Now a museum, it opened its doors to the public in 1946 and holds dozens of paintings and artworks by Rubens and his contemporaries which are set amongst the period furniture in this spectacular Italian Renaissance inspired palace. Paintings include his early Adam and Eve (c.1600) and his self portrait (1623). Rubens designed the building himself and it now serves as a fine exhibition for art students and art lovers to enjoy and learn from.

Built in 1571 by a Dominican order, this is one of Belgium's most famous churches. Having been fire-ravaged several times, this impressive monument to art has survived the test of time and delights art lovers with a fine collection. An impressive array of 17th Century Flemish paintings sit alongside hundreds of sculptures. The sculptures are the pinnacle of the collection here and over 60 are housed in a building adjacent to the church called the Calvary Mountain. This study site is a must for art students visiting Belgium.

The Port of Antwerp used to be the busiest port in the world, and still remains one of the focal points of maritime trade in Europe. Perfect for business and economics students, the port offers a half day tour which explores the manufacturing and logistic operations of this trade hub. Students begin with a short video and are then taken around areas of the port that include the exhibition hall, the lockage, the steel terminal and the container terminal. In the auditorium and exhibition hall films are shown, other aids such as interactive models, information boards, computer games are also used throughout the tour.

The Wissels Gin Distillery is a sobering example of traditional manufacturing of award winning alcohol. A pertinent study site for business students, they can be guided round the distillery, looking at the manufacturing process from the raw materials to the finished product. Inevitably, guests are invited to try the product at the end of the tour.

Antwerp is the diamond centre of the world and so Wolf Ollech's renowned diamond polishing company is perfectly placed. The son of a famous diamond manufacturer, Wolf Ollech learnt his trade from studying gemmology and spending time at the cutting mill. Since 1982 he has been running his successful company and he offers guided tours around the factory. Perfect for business students, this study site gives a unique insight into one of the worlds most prestige products.