​The use of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) for the encapsulation of different active entities is thoroughly reviewed. Either by following ship in a bottle or bottle around a ship approaches, active species can be encapsulated in the porous framework of different MOFs. Encapsulated species vary from polymers to organometallics and from polyoxometalates to metal nanoparticles and metal oxides. The main advantages and limitations of the use of MOFs together with the synthetic approaches followed are evaluated.