Bonnefantenmuseum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bonnefanten Museum

Established	1884
Location	Avenue Céramique 250, Maastricht, Netherlands

Maquette of Bonnefantenmuseum

The Bonnefanten Museum is a cool place in Maastricht, Netherlands. It's a museum that shows off both old and new art. You can see amazing paintings and sculptures there!

History of the Museum

The Bonnefanten Museum started way back in 1884. It was first a museum for history and old discoveries from the Limburg area.

The museum's name, Bonnefanten, comes from a French phrase, bons enfants. This means 'good children'. It was the nickname for an old convent building where the museum was located from 1951 to 1978.

In 1995, the museum moved to a new spot called 'Céramique'. This used to be an industrial area. A famous Italian architect named Aldo Rossi designed the new building. It has a unique rocket-shaped top that looks over the Maas River. It's now one of the most famous modern buildings in Maastricht.

Since 1999, the Bonnefanten Museum has focused only on art. The old history and archaeology collections moved to other museums, like the Limburg Museum. The Limburg area helps pay for a lot of the museum's costs.

In 2009, the museum celebrated its 125th birthday! They had a special art show called Exile on Main Street. This show featured modern American art. Stijn Huijts became the museum's director in 2012.

What You Can See: The Art Collection

The Bonnefanten Museum is special because it mixes old art with very new art. This gives it a unique feel.

Old Art Treasures

The museum's collection of old art includes paintings and sculptures. You can find these on the first floor.

• Wooden Sculptures: There are wooden statues from the 1200s to the 1500s. Some are by artists like Jan van Steffeswert.
• Medieval Art: The Neutelings Collection has many old items made from wood, bronze, marble, and ivory. These come from different parts of Europe.
• Italian Paintings: You can see Italian paintings from the 1300s and 1400s. Artists like Giovanni del Biondo and Sano di Pietro are featured.
• Flemish and Dutch Paintings: The museum also has paintings from the 1500s and 1600s by artists from Flemish and Dutch areas. Look for works by Pieter Brueghel the Younger and Peter Paul Rubens.

Modern Art Wonders

Since 1986, the Bonnefanten Museum has focused a lot on modern art. This art is usually shown on the second floor.

• Conceptual Art: This type of art is about ideas. You might see works by Joseph Beuys or Ai Weiwei.
• Minimal Art: This art uses simple shapes and colors. Artists like Sol LeWitt and Richard Serra are part of this collection.
• Arte Povera: This Italian art style uses everyday materials.
• Neo-expressionism: This art often shows strong feelings and bright colors. Artists like Neo Rauch and Luc Tuymans are included.

The museum also has video art and large art setups by newer artists. In 2011, the museum added the Jo and Marlies Eyck collection of art made after World War II. This collection also includes a castle and its grounds in Wijlre.

How Many People Visit?

Many people visit the Bonnefanten Museum each year. Here's how many visitors they had:

Running the Museum

The current director of the museum is Stijn Huijts. He took over from Alexander van Grevenstein, who was director since 1986. In 2023, the museum had 53 full-time staff members. The museum's budget for 2023 was around €9.9 million. A big part of this money, €6.5 million, came from the Limburg area.

Gallery

See also

• Google Arts & Culture