Press Conference: Free Guided Tours of the Boerentoren and Keizerskapel for Antwerp Secondary Schools

During the press conference of 12 February 2026, the city of Antwerp and The Phoebus Foundation announced that all Antwerp secondary schools will be able to visit the construction site of the Boerentoren free of charge. Europe’s first skyscraper thus takes on a clear educational purpose.

Groepsfoto tijdens de persconferentie in de werf van de Boerentoren: aanwezigen met veiligheidshelmen en fluohesjes poseren in het industriële interieur van het gebouw in renovatie.

In the presence of Alderman for Education Nabilla Ait Daoud, Fernand Huts, Chairman of The Phoebus Foundation, and Executive Director and Chief of Staff Dr Katharina Van Cauteren, presented and elaborated on the initiative.

Interview during the press conference at the Boerentoren: a woman being interviewed in front of a large visual of the renovated tower and the Antwerp skyline at dusk.

Speech during the press conference at the Boerentoren construction site: speaker on stage with a Wat is Kunst? projection, audience seated in the industrial interior.

“Young people deserve the opportunity to truly experience art and heritage,” says Dr Katharina Van Cauteren. “This is not a one-off experience, but the beginning of something that continues to resonate. We are opening the doors to wonder and allowing curiosity to flow in freely, so that art becomes a natural and inspiring part of their lives.”

Speech during the press conference at the Boerentoren: speaker at a lectern with a Wat is Kunst? projection and website displayed, audience listening in the industrial construction setting.

The visit begins at the Keizerskapel with the exhibition Het komt allemaal goed. Pupils then explore the Boerentoren itself, gaining insight into restoration, architecture and contemporary engineering.

The educational programme was developed in close collaboration with Antwerp teachers. Tailored lesson materials have been created for each year group, aligned with the attainment targets.

Students from Kunstkaai were also present at the press conference. They shared their impressions of the visit and spoke about how the Boerentoren had become more than a familiar silhouette at the end of the Meir: for them, it is now a place where city, heritage and future converge in tangible ways.

Group of students wearing safety helmets and high-visibility vests during a guided tour inside the Boerentoren construction site, gathered in the industrial interior of the building.

Group photo during the press conference at the Boerentoren construction site: attendees wearing safety helmets and high-visibility vests pose inside the industrial interior of the building under renovation.

Practical Information and Registration

Teachers can register their class via Wat is Kunst? (WIK), the educational platform of The Phoebus Foundation for children and young people.

Through www.watiskunst.be, they will find not only the registration details for the construction site visits to the Boerentoren, but also the accompanying teaching materials, tailored to the different year groups and learning objectives.

WIK brings together educational programmes centred on art and heritage, supporting teachers with clear content, practical tools and ready-to-use lesson materials, both to prepare for and to deepen the visit.