Belgium and chocolate, these two terms are inextricably linked. Hardly any other country is associated with the sweet delicacy as much as Belgium, where the finest chocolate has played a central role for centuries. We found out more during a visit to the Chocolate Nation.
Antwerp is home to a true paradise for chocolate lovers: Chocolate Nation, the largest Belgian chocolate museum in the world. Anyone who loves chocolate and is planning a trip to Antwerp should definitely not miss a visit to Chocolate Nation.
Why Belgium is the chocolate capital of the world
Belgium has a long tradition when it comes to chocolate.
Belgium controlled the Congo from 1885 to 1960. Here they found many natural resources, including cocoa beans. Like all colonial powers, the Belgians exploited this and exported the product to their home country.
Access to the cheap, high-quality cocoa from the colony enabled Belgian chocolate manufacturers to increase their production and improve the quality of their products.
However, access to the raw material alone does not make a chocolate nation. In 1912, Belgian chocolatier Jean Neuhaus invented the praline. This filled chocolate creation is now known worldwide and helped to establish Belgium as a leading country in the art of chocolate. To this day, Belgian chocolatiers attach great importance to craftsmanship, quality and the use of high-quality ingredients.
The industrial revolution and Belgium’s geographical location as a trading hub in Europe also played an important role in the history of chocolate. A strong food industry developed early on in Belgium and chocolate became an important export. The proximity to other European markets and the good infrastructure facilitated the export of Belgian chocolate. This increased its international fame and popularity.
So it’s no wonder that Belgium is home to over 2,000 chocolate manufacturers – from major brands such as Neuhaus, Leonidas and Godiva to small, family-run chocolatiers. Antwerp, as one of Belgium’s cultural capitals, is a center of this chocolate culture.
Chocolate Nation – the largest Belgian chocolate museum in the world
During our preparations for our stay in Antwerp, we kept coming across Chocolate Nation. We were unsure whether we would go there at all. At first glance, it seemed touristy, expensive and not very authentic. Fortunately, you can sometimes be wrong if you only rely on first impressions. After a varied visit, we are surprised, delighted and “full of chocolate” and now have a completely different opinion!
Chocolate Nation is much more than just a museum – it offers an interactive and multi-sensory journey into the world of Belgian chocolate on over 4000 square meters.
The visit is conducted with an audio guide that starts automatically when you enter certain rooms. You are let into these rooms in small groups and a media show takes place to accompany the audio. Whether small videos, light effects or running machines – there is a varied program on offer that we never got bored. In the other rooms you can move around freely. Here you get your information at audio stations.
What can visitors expect in the exhibition?
Chocolate Nation consists of 14 interactive rooms that take visitors step by step deeper into the world of chocolate.
It all starts with the cocoa bean. Visitors learn how the cocoa bean is processed from the tropical plantations into the finest chocolate. You can experience the individual processing stages up close. I was particularly impressed by one room that made me feel like I was in a chocolate factory. The processing process was explained in rather imaginatively designed pictures and machines. The only thing missing were the little singing figures from the movie “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”.
Of course, the history of Belgian chocolate, pralines and chocolate in Antwerp was an important part of the tour. We learned a lot here that we didn’t know before. I found it exciting.
In one area, we were able to look over the shoulders of some chocolate makers. Using large molds and running liquid chocolate fountains, they produced the products that could later be bought in the store. Above all, they made me want to finally try a piece of chocolate.
In chocolate heaven – the tasting
At the very end of the tour, the time had finally come. We went down an inviting spiral staircase into the “tasting area” of Chocolate Nation. Here we were not greeted by small pieces of chocolate but were given a spoon. With this we were able to taste warm chocolate at around 10 different “tapping stations”.
The range was varied: white, whole milk, ruby, dark and almost pure cocoa (very dark, very bitter). At each machine, it was a case of holding the spoon down, pulling the lever, watching the chocolate fill the spoon and tasting it. You start with the white chocolate with the soft, creamy taste and end with the almost black, dark and bitter chocolate with a very, very high cocoa content.
10 spoons of liquid chocolate – what a sugar shock! What a taste sensation.
The dark chocolates didn’t really suit my taste. I’m more of a fan of white chocolate. However, my personal highlight was the chocolate labeled “Golden”. I have never experienced such a well-rounded and wonderfully creamy chocolate taste. It was a good thing that there were very few visitors in the tasting area during our visit. So it didn’t matter that I simply tried a second, third,… spoonful. And admittedly I felt a bit sick afterwards and didn’t touch any more chocolate for two weeks. But it was just soooo good!
Like every visit to a museum or exhibition, the tour ends in the store. Many visitors eagerly bought chocolate, pralines,… here. The prices were quite similar to the specialty stores in the city.
Is a visit to Chocolate Nation really worth it?
Good thing we went after all! Not only was the tasting worthwhile, but the tour of the exhibition was really varied, entertaining, informative and exciting. We had over 2 hours of fun and that’s exactly what I expect when I go on a visit like this.
Visitor information
Address
Koningin Astridplein 7,
2018 Antwerp, Belgium
Arrival
By public transportation:
Chocolate Nation is located directly at Antwerp Central Station.
Parking
Q-Park Astridplein:
This parking garage is located directly on Koningin Astridplein, just a few steps away from Chocolate Nation.
Address: Koningin Astridplein 41, 2018 Antwerp.
Interparking Diamant:
near Antwerp Central Station
Opening hours
daily 10-18 h
Entrance fees
Admission prices vary depending on the ticket option.
Adults: 19,- €
Accessibilty
Chocolate Nation is barrier-free.
Good to know
Chocolate Nation is the largest Belgian chocolate museum in the world. It offers an interactive and multi-sensory journey through the history of Belgian chocolate – from the cocoa bean to the finished chocolate bar.
The museum is centrally located in Antwerp, directly on Astridplein, opposite Antwerp Central Station (Antwerpen-Centraal).
Focal points are for example:
– History of Belgian chocolate
– Chocolate tasting
The average visit lasts around 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how intensively you use the interactive stations and how long you take for the tasting.
The average duration of a visit is around 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how intensively you use the interactive stations and how long you take for the tasting.
Yes, there are parking facilities near the museum. As it is located in the center of Antwerp, it is also easily accessible by public transport.
Yes, the museum is suitable for both adults and children. There are special activities for children that make the visit a fun experience.
At the end of the tour there is the opportunity to buy chocolate. There is also a café with chocolaty delights. This can also be visited without visiting Chocolate Nation.
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