We have synthesized a new family of metal–organic-frameworks (MOFs) based on a 9,10-anthracenedicarboxylate linker. We report the formation of lanthanide-based MOFs using soft solvothermal routes with dimethylformamide as a solvent. These materials display intense photoluminescence properties in the solid state at room temperature. What is more interesting is, some of them exhibit slow relaxation of magnetization with activation barriers of 22.9, 15.4, 52.7, 13.0 and 16.2 K for Nd³⁺, Gd³⁺, Dy³⁺, Er³⁺ and Yb³⁺, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, Nd³⁺ and Yb³⁺ materials are the first examples of 3D- and 2D-MOFs, respectively, that show slow relaxation of magnetization.