As the title says, this is an art museum located in Rotterdam and is located at the Museum park in Rotterdam Centrum, which is quite close to the Natural History Museum for people who like to see the historical parts of the city. The museum first opened in 1849 and has an amazing collection of Daniel George van Beuningen and Frans Jacob Otto Boijmans. During these decades (or century, shall we say?), Boymans van Beuningen Museum has gathered more than 151,000 artworks. 

The artwork ranges from contemporary to medieval art – the art is the work of Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt, Salvador Dali, and Claude Monet. According to the research, there were 292,711 visitors in 2013 and became the 14th most visited museum in the Netherlands. However, currently, the museum has been closed for renovation and improvements – it was closed back in 2019 and is now scheduled to be opened in 2026. 

History 

The museum was established and inaugurated in 1849, but a fire erupted in 1864; the new museum was built back in 1929, while the newer building was inaugurated in 1935. This museum’s new building was designed by Adriaan van der Steur. This building was designed with the sole purpose of exhibition, and new galleries were added in 2003 in the larger rooms. The galleries are made from the frosted and clear glass along with original brick walls and concrete forms. In addition, there is a library on the street side, which is the most recent extension of the museum. 

Architecture 

The building of this museum has been designed with detailed lighting, and the construction is completed with natural stone, copper, and brick. The exhibition building of the museum was designed with three flexible spaces, which can be reconfigured according to the diverse needs of the exhibitions. In addition, a new wing has been added to show modern art. The rooms are curated with diffused and white lighting. There are large windows that offer an amazing view of the garden. 

The building’s ceiling has various art characters and has the most amazing details. There are household objects on the pavilion, and the pavilion space is quite transparent since there is silver-colored and glass roof construction. In addition, there is an art depot known as Depot Museum Boijmans van Beuningen – it was curated and constructed with private and public partnerships. There is a coffee corner on the depot’s ground floor, and there are some art handlings as well. 

On the other hand, the upper floors have exhibition space, and there is an atrium gallery with a glass roof. The building has been designed with sustainability in mind. The façade is made from a variety of glass with different color codes to make sure there are no characters in the museum whenever natural light falls through the roof. In addition to this, there is Renilde Restaurant. 

Collection 

Ranging from contemporary art to medieval art, there is a diverse range of art in the museum, but it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the museum is focused on Dutch art. The majority of art in the museum comes from private collections, but other forms of art have been contributed to the museum. There are household objects in the museum that focuses on the 8th century – the household objects include glass and medieval pitchers from the Golden Age. 

Some of the permanent art in the museum include Wassily Kandinsky, Hieronymus Bosch, Willem de Kooning, Paul Cezanne, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Rembrandt, Mark Rothko, and more. As far as the form of art of concerned, there are rich assemblies ranging from drawings to etchings and lithographs. 

The Looted Art 

The director of this museum acquired the museum artworks that were looted from the Jewish collectors – these collectors were murdered during the German Holocaust. In addition, some of the looted artworks were sent back to the victims’ families. In addition, back in 2018, the exhibition was curated around Nazi-looted art (the issue revolving around the looted artwork still remains constant). 

The Bottom Line 

The bottom line is that this museum is a haven for art and history lovers. While you can visit as a tourist, there are various guided tours, courses, and lectures available to gain deeper insights into the museum and its artwork. However, since the museum is closed, you might have to wait for a few years as it’s closed till 2026!