"The Centraal Museum Opens!"
0000-00-00 until 0000-00-00
Centraal Museum
Utrecht, , NL Netherlands

The extensive renovation and expansion by Belgian architects Stéphane Beel and Lieven Achtergael, as well as the Utrecht architect Peter Versseput, have provided the museum with a considerable amount of greatly improved exhibition space. Particularly noteworthy innovations include the transparent entrance building on the Nicolaaskerkhof, the lifts, making the museum easily accesible to everyone, the children's museum (Kids Centraal), the project rooms and the Rietveld Wing on the other side of Agnietenstraat.

Beginning November 28th, the highlights of the museum collection, including Rietveld, Jan van Scorel, the Utrechtse Caravaggists, Pyke Koch, Droog Design and Viktor & Rolf, will be on permanent view. An exhibition centred on the history of the city of Utrecht will also be presented. The museum will also reopen with a documentary exhibition in 'Collectie Centraal', the new information centre, on the artist, literary figure and Utrecht political activist, Erich Wichman.

Not only the familiar museum collection will be on view for the reopening, but also the new acquisitions made in the last 18 months. Thirty new acquisitions will be presented in the field of contemporary apparel design, including 20 by Dutch designers now being recognized on the international fashion scene:

Alexander van Slobbe, Viktor & Rolf, Niels Klavers and Keupr/van Bentm.

There is certainly new acquisitions on contemporary art and design to be seen. The museum has commissioned work from, or has worked together with:

Atelier van Lieshout: toilet

Marieke van Diemen: showcase arrangements, consultations and redesign for the Mediaeval Chapel

Richard Hutten: bookstore and restaurant design

Maxine Kennedy: website (www.centraalmuseum.nl)

Krijn de Koning: permanent installation in the Rietveld Wing, consultations for redesign museum and the Rietveld Wing

Krijn de Koning in colaboration with Concrete Architects: design of the Van Baaren Room

Sef Peeters: 'scream room'

Gerard Polhuis: garden gate

Pipilotti Rist: installation

Marlies Rohmer: design 'Collectie Centraal'

Christopher Seyferth: design, 'Kids Centraal'

Peter Struycken: colour scheme Rietveld Wing

Tejo Remy: Information Centre Rietveld's Schröder House

Viktor & Rolf: apparel design for museum hosts & hostesses

Martin Visser: museum benches

Related Links:

Indepth Arts Resources for Netherlands

Other Important Exhibitions in Netherlands