Art, history and archaeology in the Drents Museum
The Drents Museum is housed in Assen, capital of Drenthe, on the site of the former convent “Maria in Campis”. In the 17th century the convent buildings were occupied by the government of Drenthe and later they were used for the Drents Museum. In 2017 the museum was extended with a new exhibition hall and the entrance was moved to the old coach house, which was lifte by one meter for this purpose.
The Drents Museum is famous for the series of high-quality international exhibitions it regularly stages.
A new depot was built in 2010, with storage space for more than 90.000 objects. It has a controlled atmosphere with a low oxygen level which helps to preserve the delicate objects.
The Drents Museum has a large collection of modern figurative art, with emphasis on the northern realists. This is one of the most important collections in this field in the Netherlands. It includes works of Chris Lebeau, Vincent van Gogh, Jan Eisenloeffel, Jan Toorop and Jan Sluijters.
In the formal garden behind the museum stands the famous statue of Bartje, leading character in the most famous novel set in Drenthe. Bartje has become the figurehead of the province of Drenthe.
The province of Drenthe has a rich archaeological heritage and many of the most important finds are displayed in the museum. These include impressive Neandertaler axes and a reconstruction of the face of the “Yde Girl”, the remains of a young woman that was sacrificed in a bog 2000 years ago. .
In the old patrician house ‘Het Onvangershuis’, part of the museum complex, houses the exhibition ‘The Dollhouse’. It is richly furnished in the style of the 18th century, and actors, dressed in period costumes and wigs, reenact the life-style of the period. It is a fascinating experience, taking you 250 years back in time!
The Drents Museum is proud of its varied and surprising collections and the special exhibitions it mounts on a regular basis. We hope to welcome you one of these days in our beautiful museum!
See for more information: https://drentsmuseum.nl/
