About Hermitage Amsterdam
State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia, holds more than three million objects. Around 65,000 items are on display in its 350 rooms. Others are exhibited temporarily in satellite museums, like Hermitage Amsterdam. The museum in Amsterdam is a branch of this gigantic collection, founded in 17th century by Peter the Great.
Hermitage Amsterdam was opened in 2009. The impressive museum’s building was designed in 1680, and it was known for the city’s longest facade of its time. It served as a home for elderly people for 324 years. At first, it was reserved for women. But, from 1817 it started to accept men and couples, and in 1970s it became a modern nursing home.
Today, this is a modern building in the center of Amsterdam, reconstructed by architect Hans van Heeswijk. Merkx+Girod redesigned the interior, and Michael van Gessel arranged a wonderful garden.
When to visit Hermitage Amsterdam
You can visit Hermitage Museum daily, from 10 AM to 5 PM, except public holidays. If you want to admire beautiful garden, go on a sunny day. The museum shop offers good choice of Russian literature, art books, music, films and souvenirs. It is open also to non-museum visitors, as well as the cafe restaurant Neva.
Why to visit Hermitage Amsterdam
Hermitage Amsterdam displays two main permanent exhibitions. Visitors can see them in the Amstel Wing, and follow the story using free audio guides. They explain the history of patient care in Amsterdam and connections between Netherlands and Russia. There is also an inner courtyard and an excellent garden with well-known chestnut trees, 200 years old.
But, the most important are Hermitage’s temporary exhibitions, usually organized twice a year. Until now, Hermitage presented Siberian Archaeology, Russian folk art and art from Persia (astonishing silver and carpets). Exhibitions about Peter the Great and Napoleon were frequently visited. The story about dining with the Tsars was almost as popular as exhibited paintings of Rubens, Gauguin and Van Gogh.
Another point of interest in Hermitage Amsterdam is Kerkzaal room, which offers a magnificent view of the River Amstel and the canal ring. Art lovers should not miss additional space for exhibitions, in Nieuwe Kerk, and various classical music concerts.
Significance of Hermitage Amsterdam
The goal of the museum is to enrich cultural life in Amsterdam and to present one of the greatest museums in the world to a wider audience. It emphasizes historical connections between two cities, and between royal family of Romanovs and the House of Orange-Nassau.
