Museum De Pont is the main draw — one of the best contemporary art museums in the Netherlands, housed in a former wool-spinning factory on the Wilhelminapark. The building alone is worth the trip: high ceilings, industrial light, and a permanent collection that includes work by Marlene Dumas and Richard Serra.
The Textile Museum (TextielMuseum) on Goirkestraat is smaller but engaging, particularly if you're interested in craft and industrial history. Working Jacquard looms produce contemporary designs in the same space as historical exhibits.
Carnival in February is the real cultural event. Tilburg goes fully into it for three days before Ash Wednesday — street parades, music, costume, and a city-wide party mood that's hard to find elsewhere in the Netherlands at that scale.
The Loonse en Drunense Duinen, about 15 km north, is one of the largest inland sand dune areas in Western Europe. Accessible by bike along marked routes from Tilburg, it makes for a half-day trip.