In this video, Wim T. Schippers explains the origins of the museum’s collection and the role of the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen Foundation.
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen – a house for imagination, inspiration and creativity
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is a multifaceted museum in the heart of the Netherland’s harbour city, Rotterdam. It is the only museum in the Netherlands that offers the visitor a comprehensive survey of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present day. The museum building is closed due to major renovation, but the collection will be visible in other museums. And of course, Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen is open to visitors.
A museum shaped by private collectors
Visitors to the museum are often astonished by the wealth and variety of the collection. The scope and diversity are thanks to 1,700 private collectors who have gifted no fewer than 50,000 objects from 1849 onwards, the year of the establishment of the museum.
The museum derives its name from two important collectors: Frans Boijmans and D. G. van Beuningen. They added many masterpieces to the collection, including the ‘Achilles series’ by Peter Paul Rubens and ‘A Cornfield, in the Background the Zuiderzee’ by Jacob van Ruisdael.
A world-class collection
The museum contains old master paintings and sculpture, modern and contemporary art, decorative arts, pre-industrial household objects and industrial design. The collections of prints and drawings, early Netherlandish painting, Impressionism and Surrealism are among the best in the world. And during the renovation of the museum building, the collection is visible in other museums.
Old and modern masters
The Old Master collection includes works by Van Eyck, Fra Angelico, Bosch, Bruegel, Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian and Delacroix. The Impressionist collection features masterpieces by leading artists such as Monet, Cézanne, Pissarro, Renoir and Degas, supplemented by Dutch masters such as Van Gogh and Breitner. Expressionism is represented by Kandinsky, Jawlenksy, Kokoschka, Van Dongen, Munch and Beckmann, among others. The Surrealist collection, one of the largest in Europe, includes iconic works by Dalí, Magritte and Ernst. Art since 1945 is also well represented by movements such as Cobra, Minimalism and Pop art.
Contemporary art and design
The museum has a magnificent collection of household objects that chart the history of design over eight centuries. From medieval pitchers and glass from the Golden Age to furniture by Rietveld and contemporary Dutch design. The museum’s art collection is brought up to date with works by internationally renowned contemporary artists such as Matthew Barney, Maurizio Cattelan, Olafur Eliasson and Pipilotti Rist.
Selection from the collections of F.J.O. Boijmans and D.G. van Beuningen
The museum building, a house for art
The building of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen comprises three buildings, each with its own function and character. In 2021 these were joined by Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, a publicly accessible art storage facility with gallery spaces and a restaurant, in Museumpark.
Over the years Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen’s accommodation has taken on different forms and been considerably extended more than once. Time and again directors and architects have had clear ideas about the best way to house the collection. How can architecture enhance the perception of works of art? At the moment Mecanoo is working on a design to restore the value of the buildings, optimize the visitor's experience and improve the logisitcs of the museum. This has been an ever-present question in the history of the museum building.
Explore the rich history of the museum building.
Van der Steur building
The Van der Steur building (1935) by chief city architect Ad van der Steur (1893-1953) is a stately building with large galleries and smaller, intimate spaces with beautiful sightlines and subtle detailing. The architect chose traditional materials such as brick, natural stone and copper. The distinctive tower above the old entrance remains a beacon in the city.
Exhibitions building
The Exhibitions building (1972) by Alexander Bodon (1906-1993) has an entirely different character. No subtle detailing, but three enormous, flexible white spaces that can be endlessly reconfigured depending on each exhibition’s needs. The large window offers a magnificent view of the garden. In 2003 the Exhibitions building was extended by architects Robbrecht & Daem with new galleries using concrete and glass with brick accents.
The Pavilion
The Pavilion (1991) by Hubert-Jan Henket (1940) was designed specially for the Van Beuningen-de Vriese Collection, which was gifted to the museum in 1981. This collection of pre-industrial household objects is displayed in the enclosed basement gallery. By contrast, the space above is very transparent because of the extensive use of glass and the silver-coloured steel roof construction.
The Depot building
Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, designed by MVRDV, is a model of sustainability. Equipped with the latest technology and materials, and economical in its use of water and energy, the building will meet the criteria for a BREEAM excellent rating. The building has seven stories and is 39.5 metres high. With its circular form and reflective glass façades, Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen is reflecting the landscape of the Museumpark and the surrounding buildings, thus fusing with its environment.
Read more about the Depot building
360-degree tour
The Collection as a Time Machine and The Design Collection are the last collection presentations that have taken place in the current museum building. The museum is now being refurbished, but you can still view these exhibitions in a 360-degree tour. In the coming period the tour will be further developed and improved. Your findings are therefore very welcome, you can email your comments to: digitaal@boijmans.nl.
Here you will find the pilot version of this tour