Netherlands Collection Centre officially opened

Ingrid van Engelshoven, the caretaker Minister for Education, Culture and Science this morning opened the Netherlands Collection Centre (CollectieCentrum Nederland, CC NL) in Amersfoort by switching on the antique barrel organ De Blauwe Mortier, the largest object stored at CC NL. The Netherlands Collection Centre, one of the country’s most sustainable buildings, houses four important national collections, belonging to the Netherlands Open Air Museum, Het Loo Palace, the Rijksmuseum and the Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE). The bringing together of four collections in this way and the collaboration between the four partners makes CC NL unique in the world.

Ingrid van Engelshoven, caretaker Minister for Education, Culture and Science (OCW): The Netherlands Collection Centre is an exceptional facility in which four national collections have been brought together. I expect the combining of the collections to raise heritage management to a new level. CC NL is modern, incredibly sustainable, and future-proof. CC NL has everything necessary to enable it to grow in its role as a centre of expertise in the field of management and conservation of museum collections. How wonderful it is that we have managed to make this happen in the Netherlands.

Half a million objects

Around half a million objects are stored at CC NL, ranging from paintings, craftworks and furniture, to jewellery, clothing and clocks. As well as the royal thrones and cabinets from aristocratic families stored at CC NL, there are carousel horses, historical bicycles, horse-drawn carts, a steam engine weighing over 7,000 kg, and a barrel organ that stands more than five metres tall. Royal carriages and farm carts now stand side by side.

Taco Dibbits, director of the Rijksmuseum: CC NL brings to light thrilling connections that were previously hidden from view: combining the collections means that royal carriages now stand alongside farm carts. This gives rise to a more complete picture of the history of the Netherlands, in both a chronological and social sense. I would like to extend a warm invitation to other museums, scientists and students to come here to select works for loan, or to conduct research.

Unique facilities

The collaboration between the four partner organisations goes far further than simply sharing the building: the collections have been merged, operations are run jointly, and staff from the four organisations form a single team. Working together enables CC NL to offer facilities that are unavailable elsewhere in the Netherlands and which will benefit the entire cultural sector. Take, for example, the first dedicated quarantine chambers in the Netherlands, in which museum objects can be cleared of insects and mould by freezing and oxygen deprivation. CC NL also houses a photographic studio and an X-ray room, and there are two large conservation studios that other cultural institutions will also be able to use.

Wim Hoeben, CC NL facility manager: One excellent example of the work being carried out here is the conservation of the 350-year-old painting View of Amersfoort by Matthias Withoos. Flehite Museum in Amersfoort commissioned the conservation of this large and impressive work, measuring 2.5 x 4 m, to be carried out at CC NL.

Research

CC NL stimulates research into the collections and enhances their mobility. Fellow museums are welcome to approach us to loan works. The building is also accessible for research and education, by appointment. Access can be applied for at the relevant organisations. CC NL has no public function.

Sustainability

Sustainability has been a central concern right from the outset of the development of CC NL. The resulting building is one of the most sustainable in the Netherlands. It was awarded the highest achievable score of Outstanding – 5 Stars through the BREEAM NL Newbuild and Renovation quality mark system. The building design was also awarded the highest achievable score. CC NL’s score of 91.62% places it in the top 10 sustainable buildings in the country (according to the BREEAM-NL Newbuild and Renovation guidelines, 2014 version).

Simplicity

The building is exceptional in its simplicity. Choosing to insulate the walls and roof of the depot, but not the floor, means the underlying ground layer maintains a constant temperature of 12 to 15 degrees in the building. That means we have been able to keep technical systems to an absolute minimum, save on costs and mitigate any risk of damage due to technical failure. The 2,100 solar panels on the roof provide for all the building’s energy needs. CC NL also uses a thermal energy storage system, and toilets are flushed using rainwater.

Bioswale

Sustainability and nature development have also been prioritised in the layout of the surrounding site. A design was selected that maximises the development of local flora and fauna. The fact that many rabbits and foxes have already been sighted around the building suggests these efforts have been successful. Used in combination with local plant varieties, the bioswale trough (or wadi) captures and retains excess rainwater, making it unnecessary to water the plants in summer and avoiding the waste of drinking water. The bioswale also contributes to the security of the premises.

Three sections

The building was designed by Delft-based architectural bureau cepezed. The exterior of the building is clad with an aluminium skin with a sleek vertical profile. The architects have designed a building that is orderly and clearly laid out, and one that feels pleasant to be in. It has three sections: a ‘head, ‘neck’ and ‘trunk’. The tall trunk of the building, where the collections are stored, is closed off, while the offices and reception rooms in the head of the building are bathed in sunlight. Between these two sections are the two conservation studios that form the heart of the collection centre – in full view and literally the building’s centrepiece. As a whole, the building conveys the message that what it’s all about here is keeping the collections in good condition or bringing them here with the aim of doing something with them, be that lending them out, ensuring they are accessible, showcasing them and increasing knowledge. In the mornings and evenings the building is subtly illuminated by a light installation by the artist Herman Kuijer.

Moving home

After several years of preparation, construction work on CC NL began in May 2018, and in summer 2020 the building was put into service. The immense and meticulously prepared removal operation took an entire year, a period in which half a million objects were transported from their original depots to CC NL and placed in their designated compartment, on the designated shelf. The objects have been organised according to group rather than owner, to form study collections: paintings are placed with paintings, craftworks with craftworks, and archaeological artefacts with archaeological artefacts. Almost a hundred staff and three removal companies worked on this massive task throughout the pandemic, and it required a total of 869 removal truck journeys to transfer all the collections to CC NL.

Accessible

CC NL is situated in the Vathorst neighbourhood of Amersfoort, next to the A28 motorway. The site was chosen partly for its central location and good accessibility, which is important because CC NL wants to facilitate and foster the flow of loaned works. The building is also situated at walking distance from Amersfoort Vathorst station, meaning it is easy to get there by public transport.