Dutch Museums Research Articles

Building mutual rewarding sponsor relationships between museums and corporations

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a theoretical model for the holistic description of the conditions to be met for a mutually beneficial relationship between museums and sponsoring corporations, from the perspectives of both parties. Based on interviews of sponsorship managers in top Dutch museums and their sponsoring corporations, and the application of Grounded Theory, the categories and relationships that describe the model are identified. We conclude that for a successful sponsorship, both the commercial and cultural drivers behind this relationship must be considered, and the organisational performance, management and joint cooperation should be deemed satisfactory. Moreover, such sponsorships should be aligned with the demands and requirements of society.

Restitutie van koloniale collecties volgens de ethiek van Jos van Beurden

Restitution of colonial collections according to Jos van Beurden’s ethics. The Western world is increasingly recognizing its unjust colonial past. Looted art and other illegitimately obtained cultural objects should be returned to their countries of origin. Jos van Beurden advocates a new ethics of restitution. In an interview, he addresses questions of justice and casuistry, such as: What characterizes the injustice of colonial looting? How do we know whether progress is made in the return-dossier? Should scientific finds like the Java man also be returned? To whom should Māori heads be returned? Are there good reasons to keep certain objects for Dutch museums? How should they be exhibited? Is the current return policy sufficient?

Hungarica digitalia: Hongaarse bronnen in Nederlandse digitale collecties van archieven, musea en bibliotheken

We live in a Golden Age for doing research on Dutch-Hungarian relations, as so many Dutch archives, museums and libraries digitise their collections and new research environments became available. The author describes in this article shortly the new trends in digital humanities and introduces recently digitised or born digital material and new available digital collections with Hungarian sources on the history of Dutch-Hungarian relations or at the Utrecht City Archives, The Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, the Amsterdam City Archives, the digital library Delpher of KB – National Library of the Netherlands and the Dutch web archive of the same library.

The drinking table as battlefield: Warfare analogies and masculine emotions in early modern Dutch drinking songs and wager cups

ABSTRACT Dutch museums possess a range of early modern wager cups in the shape of pistols and cannons. Dutch drinking songs from the same period referred to acts of military violence and used these as analogies to interpret the drinking bout. The martially themed objects and texts show that men eagerly turned their drinking table into an imaginary frontline. This article argues that combat analogies allowed drinkers to evoke fear and shame, but also laughter and honour. Ultimately, they could interpret their collective drinking as an act of masculine bravery.

Reply to Ad Maas

The page numbers and footnotes mentioned in this reply refer to the ‘online first’-version of the article ‘Gas, Oil and Heritage: Well oiled Histories and Corporate Sponsorship in Dutch Museums (1990-2021)’, BMGN – Low Countries Review (Online first 2021) 1-28 by Plets and Kuijt, published in September 2021. You can find this version here, https://bmgn-lchr.nl/article/view/7028/online-first. A reply to this article by Ad Maas has been published here: https://doi.org/10.51769/bmgn-lchr.11658. An amended version of Plets and Kuijt’s article was published in March 2022, both online and in print, DOI: https://doi.org/10.51769/bmgn-lchr.7028.

Reply to Gertjan Plets and Marin Kuijt

This reply is based on the ‘online first’-version of the article ‘Gas, Oil and Heritage: Well-oiled Histories and Corporate Sponsorship in Dutch Museums (1990-2021)’, BMGN – Low Countries Review (Online first 2021) 1-28 by Plets and Kuijt, published in September 2021. The page numbers and footnotes mentioned in this reply therefor refer to the online first article. You can find this version here, https://bmgn-lchr.nl/article/view/7028/online-first. An amended version of Plets and Kuijt’s article was published in March 2022, both online and in print, DOI: https://doi.org/10.51769/bmgn-lchr.7028.

Exhibiting Surinamese Histories of Art: Curatorial Approaches Towards Diversity

In December 2020 the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam opened the exhibition Surinaamse School: Schilderkunst van Paramaribo tot Amsterdam (Surinamese School: Painting from Paramaribo to Amsterdam, 2020–2021). The exhibition displayed over a hundred paintings by thirty-six artists who were born or had worked in Suriname from 1910 to the mid-1980s. In particular, attention was paid to artists who were important for art education and the professionalization of artistic practice in the country. This is an unconventional topic for the Dutch museum, because it has not often displayed the work of Surinamese artists, let alone in the context of a Surinamese national history of art. In general, when delving into the exhibition histories of Dutch art museums, it stands out that little interest is shown in histories of art outside the west

Contemporary Dutch Museums in a Post-Covid Era

During the current outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, museums around the world have been forced to close their doors. Yet, responding to Covid-19 is just one of the challenges they are currently facing. In the aftermath of unprecedented times, international museum leaders are facing numerous obstacles and innovations. The debate about their future has become increasingly heated (Herwitz, 2021; Szanto 2020). The aim of this research is to consider different developments in the museum world, with an emphasis on the developments in the Netherlands.

The Future of Blockbuster Exhibitions After the Covid-19 Crisis: The Case of the Dutch Museum Sector

This article deals with the long-known vulnerability of the blockbuster exhibition business model, which is defined as an exhibition that receives major loans, aims to attract a large body of visitors and uses marketing methods to achieve this. In light of the current Covid-19 crisis, which resulted in the closure of museums, blockbusters have become especially problematic. This article addresses to what extent – and for which types of museums – it will continue to be feasible to organise blockbusters in a post-Covid era. In research conducted on behalf of the Dutch Museum Association in 2020–2021, interviews with representatives of 14 Dutch museums were held, in addition to desk research. This research focused on the impact of the crisis on blockbusters and related phenomena such as scheduling and financial struggles, improvement of online platforms and the system of governmental support. Based on the data, conclusions were drawn regarding the viability of future blockbusters in different types of museums in the Netherlands. The article demonstrates that the crisis had potential to serve as a catalyst for changes that were already well underway. The constant growth that has taken place in the museum sector in the past few years appears to not be sustainable, especially if museums continue to compete for visitor numbers while overlooking the visitor experience. In this light, the Covid-19 crisis might serve to facilitate positive transformation, which could in turn enforce the speed of a much-needed shift in the museum sector; nonetheless, the results of this research show otherwise.

Interweaving multiple contexts for objects in museum exhibitions: a contextual approach

ABSTRACT This study explores how to recontextualise objects in exhibitions to provide a bridge between the objects and visitors in museums by revealing two important strategies, which include establishing specific (sub)themes and frameworks as well as organising objects in groups. First, exhibit themes (reflecting exhibit frameworks), gateway objects, and exhibit atmospheres can be strategically combined to recontextualise objects. Second, objects either associated with or beyond spatio-temporal proximity can be grouped together in exhibit context. Both strategies reconstruct the micro, macro, and/or specific dimension(s) of objects’ contexts, weaving together visitors’ personal and social contexts to enhance their engagement with the objects. This study is based on fieldwork from thirty-two Dutch museums, a series of semi-structured interviews, and direct observation. The paper argues that using objects’ original context is an important source for increasing the creativity involved with curating museum exhibitions.

Culture, Corona, Crisis: Best Practices and the Future of Dutch Museums

The consequences of the coronavirus and the physical limitations it imposes on museums and their visitors force museums to rethink cultural identity and to approach the exhibition of material artworks differently. Only a limited number of people are allowed to visit the museum at one time, booking time slots is mandatory, making it difficult to welcome visitors. As most Dutch museums are largely self-funded, the lack of tourists, visitors, educational programmes that generate income, together with the insufficient financial support of the Dutch government, have greatly impacted their policies. This report analyses the coronavirus’ effects on the role of museums within the Dutch ‘<em>anderhalvemetersamenleving</em>’ (one and a half meter society). This report offers an overview of the changes that have taken place in Dutch society due to the limitations of physical interaction with artworks and the museum space as well as the way Dutch museums have reacted to these consequences. Lastly, this report offers an analysis of the success of these new developments and the challenges that still need to be overcome. Thus, ways will be proposed in which Dutch museums can learn from these actions in maintaining their critical function in society.

Museum Storage Facilities in the Netherlands: The Good, the Best and the Beautiful

Despite the fact that the Netherlands is a small, centralised country, its storage facilities are surprisingly diverse. What has led to the development of such different storage solutions? In order to address this question, we followed three lines of investigation. Firstly, a survey was conducted to evaluate stored collections in the Netherlands. Secondly, a selection of facilities were visited to investigate the evolution of storage buildings, systems and collection management. Thirdly, to inform future decision-makers, a quantitative benchmark was created by evaluating key data on floor areas, objects and costs. This article discusses the evolution of storage in the Netherlands in terms of sustainability, access, climate control and location. Each facility was developed with objectives specific to its time and relevant for the stakeholders of that project. Over time, project stakeholders, objectives and ambitions changed. Political and economic drivers formed the basis for shared storage facilities in which different functionalities to work with or study the collection are available. When budgets were cut and sustainability became a global issue, a shift towards low-energy buildings occurred. Over time, Dutch museums became aware of their societal roles and their accountability as treasurers of the nation’s heritage. Collection centres were created to foster connections with the public and to legitimise the vast numbers of stored collections. This study shows that in order to develop new storage facilities that are economically, socially and financially sustainable, attention must be paid to longer term objectives for such buildings.

THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE RELATIONS WITH THE NUSANTARA (SPICE ISLANDS)

I feel the need to divide that into two categories; formal relationships and informal relationships. In this case, formal relations are based on politics and military, that is, relationships that were built in the 16th century. The farther away the year, the more cryptic the sources will be. But since the 1530s, Acehnese envoys began to appear in Istanbul, and they were involved in Aceh-Ottoman cooperation. They came to ask for military assistance to fight Portuguese colonialism in the region. By conducting literature study, verification, and interpretation, the author returns to the description of a brief history through the sources written when the Ottoman Turks were still standing. In Muhamad Farid Beik's work, which tells the Ottoman Turkish Government sent a complete fleet to the Archipelago complete with the crew and others. This means that formal relations were established before 1530 AD. After that, there had been diplomatic and military relations between the two sultanates. Turkish cannons that were brought to Aceh are still in the Dutch museum. The relationship between the Ottoman Turks and the Nusantara was not only based on benefit but also based on panic Islamism in facing the same enemy, namely the Portuguese colonialists. When Indonesia faced the Dutch, the Ottoman Turks still provided informal assistance through volunteers due to Western pressure, mainly the British.&#x0D;

City Museums: a Comparative Study between a Brazilian Museum and a Dutch Museum

City Museums: a Comparative Study between a Brazilian Museum and a Dutch Museum

The War from both Sides: how Dutch and German Visitors Experience an Exhibit of Second World War Stories

At the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, questions arise if contemporary audiences still find historical accounts relevant. Fundamental to understanding the relevance of stories from the war is assessing their emotional impact on leisure participants from various social groups. We used the social identity theory framework to assess differences in emotional reactions of Dutch and German visitors to stories of the Second World War presented at a Dutch museum exhibit. Emotional reactions were measured using physiological signals of heart rate and heart rate variability as well as self-report. Emotions experienced were mixed and often, but not always, different between Dutch and German participants. Patterns in the physiological and self-report data differed. Many of the significant differences were generally consistent with a collective guilt account of German social identity, but the findings as a whole were more complex than could be predicted by existing social identity accounts. Specifically, participants did not simply categorize themselves with either national or human identities of characters based on what their respective stories emphasized. We conclude that stories of the Second World War are still relevant, but touch on audiences’ nationalities in a complex way, beyond simple historical categories.

Reputation, Status Networks, and the Art Market

The effect of an artist’s prestige on the price of artwork is a well-known, central tenant in art market research. In considering how an artist’s prestige proliferates, much research examines networks, where certain artistic groupings and associations promote individual member’s artistic standing (i.e., “associative status networks”). When considering the role of associative status networks, there are two models by which status may increase. First, the confirmation model suggests that actors of similar status are associated with each other. Second, the increase model suggests that a halo effect occurs, whereby an individual’s status increases by association with higher-status artists. In this research, we examine the association of artists through museum exhibition to test confirmation versus increase models, ascertaining whether prestige acquisition is a selection or influence process. This research capitalizes on the retrospective digitization of exhibition catalogues, allowing for large-scale longitudinal analysis heretofore unviable for researchers. We use the exhibition history of 1148 artists from the digitized archives of three major Dutch museums (Stedelijk, Boijmans-Van Beuningen, Van Abbe) from 1930 to 1989, as well as data on artists’ market performance from artprice.com and bibliographic data from the WorldCat database. We then employ network analysis to examine the 60-year interplay of associative status networks and determine how different networks predict subsequent auction performance. We find that status connections may have a point of diminishing returns by which comparison to high prestige peers increases one’s own prestige to a point, after which a high-status comparison network becomes a liability.

How do people with dementia respond to different types of art? An explorative study into interactive museum programs.

Various art programs are available for people with dementia. These have been shown to contribute to the patient's quality of life. But are all types of art suitable for this purpose and for the target group? This study investigated whether responsiveness during museum programs depends on the type of art work shown and/or characteristics of the person with dementia, such as severity of dementia or specific cognitive impairments. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in which the responsiveness of people with dementia to different types of art was investigated as part of a study into the implementation of the Unforgettable program, an interactive guided museum tour program in Dutch museums for people with dementia. The appreciative and active responsiveness and interaction with others during the program appeared related to the severity of dementia, to specific cognitive impairments, and to type of artworks. People with more severe dementia responded less to art than people with mild dementia. Artworks with more natural elements revealed less interaction with others. Artifacts (i.e., objects not originally meant as artworks) evoked more reactions than artworks. The study results are important to take into account when designing and offering art programs for people with dementia. Knowing which type of art works appeals most to (subgroups of) people with dementia will contribute to the optimization of art programs for this target group and to their active participation in such programs.

Guideline in Jeopardy: Observations on the Application of the ASHRAE Chapter on Climate Control in Museums

ABSTRACT This paper provides the climate specifications of several museums in the Netherlands that have been renovated. These climate specifications developed in the last two decades are very similar, and hence demonstrate that not much has changed in 20 years. Since the use of the climate classes presented by ASHRAE often plays a major role in developing climate specifications in Dutch museums, an analysis was made of its pros and cons. Issues concerning the use of the ASHRAE table are presented: the table is used as a list, the meaning of short fluctuations is unclear, and translating the numbers to a control algorithm is troublesome. An alternative table is presented for temperature and relative humidity specifications to overcome these issues.

Implementation and impact of unforgettable: an interactive art program for people with dementia and their caregivers.

Semi-structured interviews were held with 23 stakeholders to identify facilitators and barriers to the implementation of the Unforgettable program in 12 Dutch museums. Based on the model of Meiland et al. (2004), an overview is made of factors influencing the different levels and phases of the implementation process. The impact of Unforgettable on the attitudes of the museum staff was assessed using the Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire (n = 176). The training in the Unforgettable method, regular evaluation with the program guides and hosts, and cooperation with other organizations appeared essential for successful implementation of Unforgettable. A lack of promotional activities was an impeding factor. Compared to before the implementation, the museum employees' attitudes toward people with dementia became more positive. Both successful dissemination of the Unforgettable program and the more positive attitudes toward dementia of employees in museums implementing this program can contribute to the social participation of people with dementia and thereby to their quality of life.

Competent museum guides: defining competencies for use in art and history museums

ABSTRACTThis study aimed to identify the competencies required for museum guides who lead tours of school students in art and history museums. We compiled a preliminary list of competencies from the literature and interviews with 16 Dutch museum guides and three educators. Next, the Delphi technique was used to validate the list of competencies. A total of 26 experts, consisting of 12 educators, 9 guides, and 5 teacher trainers, rated the importance of the competencies and the clearness of the formulation on a 5-point Likert scale. In two rounds, consensus was established on 45 competencies. We organized the competencies into four areas: (1) handling the group within the museum environment, (2) communication skills, (3) knowledge and pedagogy, and (4) professionalism. The list of competencies gives museums insight into the competencies museum guides should have, can help guides reflect on their own practices, and stimulates them to further develop their own competencies.