WHICH TO CHOOSE? MOST MUSEUMS END LOCKDOWN

So which museum? If you are a museum or exhibition addict too: have you already got a ticket for Monday? For 1st June 2020: Dutch museums reopen, remember? Well …

Of course, with travel restrictions still in place, it depends where you live and if you are or are not dependent on public transport. For let’s be honest: is a museum visit, is exploring an exhibition after weeks in lock-down and lock-out, absolutely necessary? You and I agree: YES!

Others like police and railway police and BOAs (not the constrictor) may disagree with us. Moreover, if using public transport for your Monday trip: you will have to have two face masks with you! One for the journey up; the other one for the journey home. It is not just that face masks are compulsory when using Dutch public transport. You are supposed to change your face mask every three hours.

If you have not yet decided which museum or exhibition to visit: not all museums will reopen on 1st of June! Several actually remain closed till further notice. Take The Hague’s Willem V Gallery and the hard-hit Museum Bredius. The Gallery will remain closed till some day in September and Museum Bredius till further notice.

The Mauritshuis, Haags Historisch, Kunstmuseum, Fotomuseum, Museon can all be visited Monday 1st June. Provided you book or booked your ticket in advance. And remember: you book your ticket for a specific day and time!

Panorama Mesdag reopens on 2nd June. However, the Hague’s Mesdag Collection will not open till 3rd June 2020. So, interested in discovering or revisiting its “Mancini” exhibition (strongly recommended): plan your visit for the 3rd June or a later date!

Living in Delft, Gouda, Leiden: Delft’s Museum Prinsenhof reopens 1st June and Gouda’s Museum too. Leiden’s Museum of Ethnology and its Rijksmuseum van Oudheden also reopen Monday 1st June. Leiden’s museum De Lakenhal, on the other hand, opens on 2nd June.

In Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans was already closed for renovation – so remains closed. But among the many museums reopening in Rotterdam per 1st of June are: Museum Rotterdam and the delicious Kunsthal!

In Utrecht, Museum Catharijneconvent (its exhibition on miracles was reviewed by the Guardian!), Centraal Museum and Miffin’s Museum all open Monday!

Amsterdam, anyone? Good news: the Amsterdam Museum, Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum open Monday, 1st June. However, the Rembrandthuis Museum and Ons Lieveheer op Solder open 2nd June, while Museum Van Loon is among the museums which open on 3rd June 2020.

Mind: these are just a few of the many museums in major towns and cities. ArtsTalk the Netherlands reviewed several exhibitions in these museums? The good news is, that many exhibitions have been prolonged!

In case you have not yet seen the fabulous exhibition of masterpieces from Vienna at the Noordbrabants Museum in Den Bosch, the Rembrandtshuis’ fascinating “Black in Rembrandts Time”, or “Mancini, Eccentric & Extravagant”: these have all been prolonged, so not just check your favourite museum’s website for tickets and COVID19 measures, but also to see if any exhibition you missed or want to revisit are still on!   Kate    29th May 2020