Rijksmuseum facts for kids
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Rijksmuseum at the Museumplein in 2019
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| Established | 19 November 1798 |
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| Location | Museumstraat 1 Amsterdam, Netherlands |
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| Collection size | 1 million objects |
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| Public transit access | Tram: 2  , 5  , 7  , 10  , 12  Bus: 26, 65, 66, 170, 172, 197 |
The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands. It is in Amsterdam and focuses on Dutch arts and history. You can find it at the Museumplein (Museum Square). It's close to other famous spots like the Van Gogh Museum.
The museum first opened in The Hague on November 19, 1798. It moved to Amsterdam in 1808. At first, it was in the Royal Palace. Later, it moved to the Trippenhuis. The building you see today was designed by Pierre Cuypers. It first opened its doors in 1885.
After a huge ten-year renovation, the main building reopened on April 13, 2013. Queen Beatrix officially opened it. This renovation cost about €375 million. In 2013 and 2014, the Rijksmuseum was the most visited museum in the Netherlands. It welcomed over 2 million visitors each year. It is also the largest art museum in the country.
The museum displays 8,000 objects. These items show art and history from the years 1200 to 2000. The total collection has 1 million objects! You can see masterpieces by famous artists like Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Johannes Vermeer. The museum also has a small collection of Asian art. This is shown in the Asian pavilion.
Contents
Discovering the Rijksmuseum's Past
The Rijksmuseum's collection grew over 200 years. It didn't start from a royal family's art. Its beginnings were small, with just a few rooms at the Huis ten Bosch palace in The Hague. At first, it didn't even have paintings by famous Dutch artists like Rembrandt. The museum built its collection by buying and receiving donations.
How the Museum Began: 18th Century
In 1795, the Batavian Republic was formed in the Netherlands. The Minister of Finance, Isaac Gogel, thought a national museum would be good for the country. He was inspired by the The Louvre in France. So, on November 19, 1798, the government decided to create the museum.
Moving and Growing: 19th Century
On May 31, 1800, the National Art Gallery opened in Huis ten Bosch. This was the first version of the Rijksmuseum. It showed about 200 paintings and historical items. These came from the collections of Dutch leaders.
In 1805, the gallery moved to another spot in The Hague. Then, in 1806, Napoleon Bonaparte created the Kingdom of Holland. His brother, King Louis Bonaparte, ordered the museum to move to Amsterdam in 1808. Paintings owned by Amsterdam, like The Night Watch by Rembrandt, became part of the museum's collection. In 1809, the museum opened in the Royal Palace in Amsterdam.
In 1817, the museum moved again, to the Trippenhuis. But this building wasn't very good for a museum. So, in 1820, the historical items went to the Mauritshuis in The Hague. Later, in 1838, 19th-century paintings by "living masters" moved to a former palace in Haarlem.
Designing a New Home
In 1863, there was a competition to design a new building for the Rijksmuseum. But none of the designs were good enough. Pierre Cuypers also entered and came in second place.
In 1876, a new competition was held, and this time Pierre Cuypers won! His design mixed Gothic and renaissance styles. Construction started on October 1, 1876. The building was decorated inside and out with Dutch art history themes. The new museum opened on July 13, 1885.
In 1890, another building was added nearby. It was made from parts of old demolished buildings. This building shows the history of Dutch architecture. It's known as the 'fragment building' or the 'south wing'. Today, it's called the Philips Wing.
Changes and Renovations: 20th and 21st Centuries
In 1906, the room for The Night Watch was rebuilt. More changes happened inside between the 1920s and 1950s. Many colorful wall decorations were painted over. In the 1960s, new rooms were built into the two courtyards. The building also had small updates in 1984, 1995–1996, and 2000.
The south wing (Philips Wing) was renovated in 1996. That same year, the museum had its first big photography show.
A Major Renovation
In December 2003, the main museum building closed for a huge renovation. During this time, about 400 objects were shown in the Philips Wing. This included The Night Watch and other famous 17th-century artworks.
Spanish architects Antonio Cruz and Antonio Ortiz designed the renovation. They brought back many old decorations. They also removed floors in the courtyards. The renovation was supposed to take five years but ended up taking almost ten years. It cost €375 million.
The building was finished on July 16, 2012. In March 2013, the main artworks moved back into the main building. The Night Watch returned to its special room. On April 13, 2013, Queen Beatrix reopened the main building. The Philips Wing reopened on November 1, 2014, with a photography exhibition.
The Museum Building
The Rijksmuseum building was designed by Pierre Cuypers and opened in 1885. It has two main squares, each with an open space called an atrium in the middle. A tunnel runs through the center, with entrances on the ground floor. The Gallery of Honour is on the first floor. The building also has a library.
The Philips Wing shows pieces of old buildings. This helps visitors learn about the history of Dutch architecture. The Rijksmuseum is a rijksmonument, which means it's a national heritage site. It has been protected since 1970. The Asian pavilion, designed by Cruz y Ortiz, opened in 2013.
The architects tried to blend the old and new parts of the building. They used materials that matched the original design. This creates a "silent architecture" where new parts fit in smoothly.
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The Rijksmuseum was located in the Trippenhuis between 1817 and 1885.
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Drawing of the design by Pierre Cuypers in 1876.
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Front of Cuypers' building, circa 1895.
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View of the facade by night.
Exploring the Collection
The Rijksmuseum has 1 million objects in its collection. It focuses on arts, crafts, and history from 1200 to 2000. About 8,000 objects are currently on display.
The collection includes over 2,000 paintings from the Dutch Golden Age. You can see works by famous painters like Jacob van Ruisdael, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen, and Rembrandt.
The museum also has a small Asian collection. This is shown in the Asian pavilion. Some unusual items include a royal crest from a captured ship. There's also the Hartog plate and an old biplane.
In 2012, the museum started sharing high-quality images online. They made 125,000 images available for free download. They plan to add 40,000 more images each year. The goal is to make the entire collection of one million works available online. These images are free to use, even for projects.
Gallery
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Portrait of a Young Couple (1622) by Frans Hals
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Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem (1630) by Rembrandt
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The Meagre Company (1633–37) by Frans Hals and Pieter Codde
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The Night Watch (1642) by Rembrandt
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Banquet at the Crossbowmen’s Guild in Celebration of the Treaty of Münster (1648) by Bartholomeus van der Helst
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The Threatened Swan (c. 1650) by Jan Asselijn
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The Milkmaid (c. 1657–58) by Johannes Vermeer
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The Jewish Bride (c. 1667) by Rembrandt
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Girl in a Blue Dress (1641) by Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck
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Landscape with Waterfall (1660s) by Jacob van Ruisdael
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Shivaji's portrait (1680s) in the Rijksmuseum (1630-80)
Special Exhibitions to See
The Rijksmuseum often hosts special exhibitions. These shows focus on specific artists or important historical topics.
Rembrandt's Masterpieces
In 2019, the museum celebrated 350 years since Rembrandt's death. They put on a special show of all his works in their collection. This included 22 paintings, 60 drawings, and over 300 prints. It was the first time all these works were shown together. A highlight was seeing The Night Watch right before its planned restoration. The exhibition ran from February to June.
Understanding Slavery in Dutch History
In 2021, the Rijksmuseum presented an exhibition about the history of slavery in the Dutch colonial Empire. Over a million people were forced into slavery during this time. The exhibition covered slavery from the 17th to the 19th century. This included areas like Suriname, Brazil, the Caribbean, South Africa, and Asia. Companies like the Dutch West India Company (WIC) and the Dutch East India Company (VOC) were involved.
The exhibition showed objects like a wooden block used for locking slaves. It also featured paintings, old documents, stories, poems, and music. It even showed how the slavery system connected to life in the Netherlands. The museum added special labels to 77 permanent artworks. These labels explained hidden links to slavery in what were once symbols of wealth.
The exhibition was available both at the museum and online. It included audio tours and videos with personal stories. An accompanying book called Slavery was also released.
Vermeer's Art on Display
From February to June 2023, the Rijksmuseum hosted the largest collection of Vermeer paintings ever. They displayed 28 of his known 37 works. The curator called it a "once in a lifetime" event. All tickets for this popular exhibition sold out very quickly.
Visitors to the Museum
The Rijksmuseum is very popular. In 1975, it had a record 1,412,000 visitors. After its big renovation, the museum's capacity increased. It can now welcome 1.5 to 2 million visitors each year.
In 2013, the museum had 2.2 million visitors. In 2014, it set a new record with 2.47 million visitors. This made it the most visited museum in the Netherlands. It was also the 19th most visited art museum in the world in those years.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum had to close. It was closed from December 15, 2020, until June 4, 2021.
The Rijksmuseum Library
The Rijksmuseum Research Library is part of the museum. It is the largest public art history research library in the Netherlands. It's a great place to learn more about art and history.
Rijks Restaurant
Rijks, also known as RIJKS®, is a restaurant located in the Philips Wing of the museum. It has 140 seats. Joris Bijdendijk has been the head chef since it opened in 2014. The restaurant was given a Michelin star in 2017, which means it's a very good place to eat!
See also
In Spanish: Rijksmuseum para niños
- Onze Kunst van Heden – an exhibition held in 1939–1940
- List of largest art museums
