- Title: NETHERLANDS: Dutch masterpieces seen in a new light at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum
- Date: 4th April 2013
- Summary: AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS (APRIL 4, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THE NEWLY RENOVATED RIJKSMUSEUM WORKER CLEANING STEPS IN FRONT OF MUSEUM PAINTING BY REMBRANDT VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT PAINTINGS REMBRANDT'S SELFPORTRAIT PEOPLE LOOKING AT PAINTINGS BY JOHANNES VERMEER DETAIL OF VERMEER'S 'WOMAN READING A LETTER' HALL WITH REMBRANDT'S "NIGHTWATCH" PACKED WITH JOURNALISTS RIJKSMUSEUM DIRECTOR OF COLLECTIONS, TACO DIBBITS, WITH WOMAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) RIJKSMUSEUM'S DIRECTOR OF COLLECTIONS, TACO DIBBITS, SAYING: "Everything changed in the new Rijksmuseum, we have undergone a renovation of ten years, and ten years we had a collection in storage and now we can show it again to the public, completely restored in a new building. We are over the moon and we hope that as many people as possible from the world come to enjoy 800 years of celebration of Dutch art and history." REMBRANDT'S "NIGHTWATCH"
- Embargoed: 19th April 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Netherlands
- City:
- Country: Netherlands
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVABRGOYAH9MXNQJDOFID0XCFL0A
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Masterpieces by Rembrandt and other Dutch masters were seen in a new light on Thursday (April 4) at the freshly renovated Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam which is set to open next week after a ten year hiatus.
The museum, which has undergone renovations that cost 375 million euros ($480 million), opens to the public on April 13 after an inauguration ceremony by Queen Beatrix.
It will house over 8,000 works telling the story of Dutch art and history through 80 galleries.
Rijksmuseum Director of Collections Taco Dibbits told reporters during a preview visit of the renovated building that the improvements are definitely worth the long wait.
"Everything changed in the new Rijksmuseum, we have undergone a renovation of ten years, and ten years we had a collection in storage and now we can show it again to the public, completely restored in a new building. We are over the moon and we hope that as many people as possible from the world come to enjoy 800 years of celebration of Dutch art and history," Dibbits said.
In a facelift resembling modernisation's at Paris' Louvre and Musee d'Orsay museums, the Rijksmuseum has a giant new underground entrance hall.
A new indoors patio intended to let sunlight stream in to the building has also been constructed.
However, the richly-decorated exterior of the 19th century red-brick building designed by architect Pierre Cuypers, has been left intact.
Since the main museum closed in 2003, works by Rembrandt like 'The Nightwatch' and by other Dutch masters such as Frans Hals and Vermeer have remained on display in a side wing. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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