10 Jan 2019
Rijksmuseum gallery set for relaunch at Amsterdam Airport
BY Andy Knaggs
The Rijksmuseum’s branch at Amsterdam Schipol Airport, featuring ten Dutch Golden Age paintings by artists such as Jan van Goyen and Ludolf Bakhuysen is set to reopen at the end of this month after a year-long closure caused by a serious water leak.
A problem with the roof above a KLM departure lounge on the floor above the Rijksmuseum display was discovered in January 2018, and though the roof was fixed, rainwater already within the lounge continued to drip into the display area. The museum said none of the works had been damaged, but the decision was taken to close the display on 25 January 2018.
In a statement to Attractions Management, the Rijksmuseum confirmed that it hopes to reopen the branch by the end of January, subject to "the progress of the building work by Schipol Airport on top of the Holland Boulevard lounge". A spokesperson added that confirmation of the reopening would be given on social media.
The ten paintings that were on display at Schipol Airport before the closure will return for public appreciation, the museum has confirmed.
The gallery – a 24-hour branch of the Rijksmuseum – was a world first when it opened in 2002. The museum displays a changing selection of original works to airport-goers, with a retail store generating income. As many as 220,000 people a year visit the attraction.
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