Museum Vincentre expansion gets underway

From left to right, Jack Aldenhoven (Director BAN Group), Stijn Smeulders (Provincial Executive of the Province of North Brabant), Caroline van Brakel (Alderman of the Municipality of Nuenen), Simone van der Heiden (Director Museum Vincentre | Van Gogh Sites NV), Marjolein de Hooge (Manager Community Engagement & Sponsorship ASML), Rob Meurders (Creative Director diederendirrix).

Today in Nuenen the construction of the expansion of the Vincentre Museum started. The province of North Brabant, the municipality of Nuenen, ASML, Van Gogh Brabant and the construction team of Museum Vincentre gave the starting signal by dismantling together the fence that closed off the construction site. The new building is expected to open one year from now, on May 1, 2023. The current museum will remain open to visitors until November 1, 2022.

Van Gogh undiminished popularity
Nationally, as well as internationally, interest in the life and work of Vincent van Gogh remains undiminished even 132 years after his death. The Vincentre has received 20,000 visitors from home and abroad each year since 2010, and that number is growing. In recent years the capacity of the current museum proved too small to keep up with expected growth to approximately 40,000 visitors per year by 2028. After the reopening in 2023, the museum will be ready for the next phase with more exhibition space and better facilities. "The Vincentre has always been a special place for Nuenen. It is the starting point for experiencing the cultural heritage of Van Gogh in Nuenen. This expansion will make the Van Gogh experience even more accessible and attractive to residents and visitors. Truly iconic in the village through which Van Gogh himself became so inspired," said Alderman Pernot.

Mastery and technology
Museum Vincentre highlights the professional and personal development of the world-famous painter from Brabant who painted his masterpiece The Potato Eaters in Nuenen. The revamped exhibition brings his Nuenen period even more to life. Design firm Tinker imagineers, which also furnished the current museum, is currently working on the new design with the partners involved. "The idea is that as a visitor you take a walk through Nuenen. You look from Vincent's perspective and through the viewing instruments of his time at places and landscapes that inspired him, thus following in his footsteps," says Nils van Keulen, Tinker imagineers.
In addition to the permanent exhibition, the new building also provides space for temporary programming and temporary exhibitions. Moreover, with Tinker and in collaboration with ASML, Vincent's Light Lab is being realized.

Lightlab
Under the motto light is color, and color is light, ASML and Van Gogh Brabant are targeting a young audience with this educational Lightlab. This will give Museum Vincentre not only an art-historical but also a technological programming, in keeping with the Brainport region in which it is located. Marjolein de Hooge (ASML Community Engagement): Vincent Van Gogh was an innovative artist, he never stopped learning and experimenting in his search for perspective and light. It is that inquisitive attitude that we would like to transfer to the next generation in Vincent's Light Lab. By combining technology, art and creativity, we are creating a unique experience that will contribute to the aura of this innovative region.

Delegate Stijn Smeulders (Culture, Sports, Leisure and Heritage):
"At the end of last year, we provided a €2.5 million loan for the expansion of the museum. I am proud of the steps that are now being taken in Nuenen. Together with contributions from the Municipality of Nuenen, the Brainport Regiodeal, ASML, BPD Cultuurfonds, BrabantC, Mondriaanfonds and many local and regional companies, a museum of international stature is being built here. Extraordinary that with such a Brabant-wide collaboration and the daily energy of 160 volunteers we can realize a grand tribute to Van Gogh. This contributes to our ambition to make Brabant a pleasant and enjoyable place for as many people as possible. To live, to work and to visit."

Sustainable and innovative architecture
Next to the museum, the expansion will take the form of an expressive and contemporary version of a long-roofed farmhouse. Architectural firm diederendirrix of Eindhoven designed the plan, which does justice to the village and Brabant character of the past and the contemporary view of sustainable and innovative architecture. The choice of materials is in line with Vincent van Gogh's preference to use natural and honest materials. The contractor is Ban Bouw from Nuenen. The total project cost for the renovation and expansion is 5.7 million euros.

Chairman Bert van der Els, Van Gogh Sites Foundation:
"It is our ambition to protect Van Gogh-related buildings and open them to visitors from home and abroad. The expansion of Vincentre is a great example of this, especially since the current building used to be the town hall where Vincent registered in the municipality of Nuenen. As the Van Gogh Sites Foundation, we do this with the financial help of many. From the province and business community to the dozens of certificate holders, who bought a share in this new building."

Van Gogh in Brabant
Museum Vincentre, with the heritage sites in Zundert, Etten-Leur, Tilburg and Het Noordbrabants Museum in 's-Hertogenbosch, forms the chain that tells the life story of Van Gogh in Brabant. The new layout of Museum Vincentre also establishes a clear relationship with the Van Gogh National Park, the landscape to which Van Gogh felt so connected. Thus the museum is already the starting point of the 435 km long Van Gogh cycle route and the center point of a walking route (10 km) through the surrounding landscape.

Want to know what's on offer with Van Gogh Brabant? Check www.vangoghbrabant.com

Some artist impressions of the expansion of museum Vincentre and the LightLab