Construction of the Boijmans depot completed, now installing works of art

The large mirror doors of the public entrance are always closed. We enter the entrance through the staff entrance and a number of loading and unloading places. Scaffolding was here until a few weeks ago, but it’s now complete and the space is being cleaned up.

“A steel platform with a yellow floor has now been installed,” says Ina Klaassen from Boijmans. “This is a design by architect and artist John Körmeling. This elevation (a mezzanine) gives the entrance more space and a different experience. In addition, there will be the transparent lockers, where the coats and bags can be stored. Always floating lockers and also the museum shop. This is also the place where the guided tours will begin. ”

By the stairs, we move towards the largest exhibition space. “This space is almost the same size as the central hall of the Bodon building in the museum itself. Presentations are made here. But no exhibitions like in the museum, so no art history exhibitions, but no more presentations on the collection or on the. auto collection. ”

Look at the art in the vaults

As an audience, you can look directly into the vaults with the works of art in different places of the building. According to museum director Klaassen, this is not very common: “You can see the back of the museum. What is always behind a closed door, you can see it in all its glory here.

Some safes currently work hard with vacuum cleaners to keep the room dust free. This is only a first cleaning. Before the artifacts can be penetrated, the rooms must be thoroughly cleaned and then acclimatized.

A striking feature of the depot are the thirteen display cases. In fact, you walk through a glass tunnel where works of art can be seen on the walls. From the top-floor windows you can look out through the glass floor thirty meters below. The showcases are designed by visual artist Marieke van Diemen

“ Military operation ” to install art

Outside the depot, the last trees are planted and the tiles are still being laid. The cleaners are busy inside. In a few weeks, work will begin to bring the first artifacts here. “We have been preparing for two and a half years. This is really a military operation. It will take about three and a half months.”

Open in the fall

The deposit of the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, designed by MVRDV, is already a much discussed and photographed object. There is a lot of national and international interest. There is no exact date for the inauguration yet, but according to museum director Klaassen, the depot as it stands will open in October.