After being closed for several years during renovations, Museum Arnhem, located in the Dutch city of Arnhem, opens to the public. Amsterdam-based Benthem Crouwel Architects designed a new extension and restored the original building, including the iconic and historic dome.

© Maarten Willemstein

A special feature of the new design is a wing protruding 45 feet over a rock cliff, making visitors feel like they are hovering above the trees. “We were immediately captivated by the location,” said architect and partner Saartje van der Made. “The view is a huge plus, so we decided to go higher up with the new building to highlight this feature even more.”

In addition to the special floating wing balancing far above the rocks and a wide public staircase connecting it with the renewed sculpture garden, another eye-catching new addition is the façade, now tiled with 82,000 unique, handcrafted tiles. The special color of the tiles, from the earth tones seen on nearby streets to icy blue on the side facing the river, symbolizes the museum’s location on moraine, a mass of rocks and sand created by a long-ago glacier.

© Maarten Willemstein

The transformation of the museum started in 2017, and now it has almost 21,000 square feet of state-of-the-art exhibition space. The new building has five new exhibition halls and two public spaces, which are interconnected. The historic dome from 1873 has regained its original importance as the heart of the museum. This central meeting place houses the entrance, the shop and café. On the upper floor of the dome, reached by an elevator or the new circular stairs, is an accessible activity space where public programs are offered.

The high-quality collection of Museum Arnhem contains art from the 20^th century, contemporary art and jewelry, and consists of more than 25,000 objects. A wide staircase connects the new wing with the sculpture garden. The steps offer visitors a quick look at the activities and exhibitions inside without a museum ticket. The garden and the concrete staircase leading to a floating balcony provide spectacular views of the park, river and the surrounding landscape, and are open to the public.

The building, centrally located within the city, is surrounded by greenery, providing panoramic views over the Rhine River. The new exhibition spaces support both the collection and the changing exhibitions. Museum Arnhem is the museum for international modern and contemporary art, and design of the city of Arnhem. The permanent collection features realistic 20th-century art, contemporary art, jewelry and design. Within the contemporary art collection there is a specific focus on work by female artists.

© Eva Broekema

Upcoming exhibitions include Unsheltered Moments (through March 10), Art in the Third Reich (through March 24), Tolerance Test (through April 24) and Traces of Arnhem (through September 29).  Tickets are about $16, and reservations are accepted online.