Rijksmuseum Amsterdam NL
A museum and a building
The Rijksmuseum has been a working museum for more than 125 years. The current building, which was designed by the architect Pierre Cuypers, was opened in 1885. After more than a century of intensive use, this huge building needed a radical makeover. In the year 2000, the government of the day gave the go-ahead. After a lengthy period of preparation, work finally started in 2004. The main building was handed over in 2012, and work began on preparing for the opening. Following its refit, this internationally renowned museum is now fully compliant with the requirements of our modern age. The architects had the following challenge: strip the building of its later additions, ensure that it is once again a coherent whole and restore Cuypers’ clear layout. The design combines the grandeur that defines the Rijksmuseum, plus facilities such as a museum café, a shop and, to preserve the art, climate-control and security features which are completely in line with today’s requirements. In April 2013, visitors will be setting foot not in a renovated museum, but in a completely new museum.
Cruz y Ortiz’ solutions
The head architects for the renovation are Antonio Cruz and Antonio Ortiz from Sevilla, Spain. For the restoration of the building a Dutch architect was selected. Cruz y Ortiz were chosen by a committee chaired by the chief government architect for their purist view of architecture and their excellent solutions to the architectural and logistic challenges involved in this project. According to their design, the two inner courtyards which were added in the post-war years will be broken open, creating a two-part Atrium linked by the passageway, which will be open as before. The Asian Pavilion, where the small but beautiful Asiatic collection of the Rijksmuseum will be housed, is also new. The natural-stone and glass façade contrasts with the red bricks of the main building. In the garden, opposite the Pavilion, are the Cuypers Villa and the Teekenschool. Between these, Cruz y Ortiz placed a small new building – the new service entrance, offering access to the museum via an underground passage.
Cuypers’ hallmark
Pierre Cuypers’ 1885 masterpiece is a monument as well as a museum building. Van Hoogevest Architects was responsible for the restoration of the building. The monumental ornaments are returned to the Gallery of Honour, the Front Hall, the Night Watch Gallery and the stairwells. Cuypers‘ hallmark is best preserved in the library where the original design and ornaments have largely been maintained.
Museum content: what will be displayed where?
Only the Night Watch by Rembrandt van Rijn will remain in its old position, at the centre of the building. The new Rijksmuseum will offer visitors an overview of art and history from the late Middle Ages to the present day. Paintings, images, historical objects and applied arts will be displayed together in context, offering a comprehensive image of art and culture, with – as can only be expected – particular attention paid to the highlights of the story of the Netherlands. The museum has chosen the motto ‘a feel for beauty, a sense of time‘ for this new setting. When viewing the Netherlands, it is essential to do so in an international context. The Dutch have travelled far and wide to explore all corners of the world and in the course of the centuries, many people have come to the Netherlands from elsewhere. The Netherlands has always been a crossroads and that is also evident in the new layout. In a wing fitted out specially for the purpose, the Rijksmuseum will display its Special Collections. Large sub-collections will be on display here, including porcelain, silver, jewellery, glass and ceramics, in staggering numbers, as well as both simple and elaborately decorated weapons and an exciting collection of model ships. After the opening, the Teekenschool (Drawing School) will house a multidisciplinary educational centre where young visitors, inspired by the Rijksmuseum’s collection, can use various forms of art to further hone their creative talents.
Interior design: the work of Jean-Michel Wilmotte
Paris museological designer Wilmotte, famous for the interior of Musée du Louvre, among others, was asked to furnish the Rijksmuseum galleries. Wilmotte has designed display cases, ornament lighting and plinths which fit in naturally with the old building. In consultation with Cruz y Ortiz, Wilmotte also determines the interior colour scheme, in which he was inspired by the Cuypers’ palette. Wilmotte ensures the past and present come together in a unique manner in the Rijksmuseum’s architecture.
Facts & figures
•The renovated Rijksmuseum displays over 8,000 artistic and historical objects that tell the story of 800 years of Dutch history, from the year 1200 right up to the present.
•The walking distance through the 80 galleries at the museum is a total of around 1.5 km.
•The entire Rijksmuseum collection, including drawings, prints and photos, consists of around 1.000.000 items. Before the renovations, around 1.000.000 people visited the Rijksmuseum annually.
•The museum will have the capacity to welcome between 1.5 – 2.0 million visitors each year.
•8.000 objects of art & history
•800 years of Dutch history 1200-2000 AD
•80 rooms
•Overall surface area: almost 30.000m2
•12.000 m2 exhibition space
•1 restaurant and 2 cafés: 500 chairs
•300 m2 shop
•Length of walking space museum: 1,5km
•Atrium: 2.250 m2
•5,4 km books in the museum’s library
•14.418 m2 garden
•Total costs: 375 million euros
