If the Dutch government does not stick to the promises it made to the ‘Engineer’, a major project to carry out vital maintenance cannot be financed, and the museum will be forced to close.
‘If this situation persists, it will be dangerous for the art and dangerous for our visitors’, says Van Gogh Museum Director Gordenker in The New York Times. ‘This is the last thing we want — but if it comes to that, we would have to close the building.’
A museum born out of an historic agreement
After Vincent van Gogh died, a large portion of his art and collection remained within the family. V.W. van Gogh and the Dutch government made an unprecedented agreement in order to prevent the collection from being dispersed. V.W. van Gogh transferred ownership of the entire collection — over two hundred paintings, five hundred drawings and nine hundred letters, as well as artworks by Vincent's contemporaries that were collected over the years — to the Vincent van Gogh Foundation, established specifically for this purpose.
In return, the Dutch State committed itself to provide sufficient resources for the construction and maintenance of a new museum where the collection would be permanently preserved and displayed to the public.
Van Gogh Museum a huge success from the start
After its opening in 1973, the Van Gogh Museum quickly became a remarkable national and international success. The museum brings the artist’s story to life for millions of visitors each year through its unparalleled collection of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings, drawings, and letters, as well as important work by his contemporaries, combined with groundbreaking exhibitions and innovative public programmes.
As one of Amsterdam’s foremost cultural destinations, it not only strengthens the city’s global reputation as a capital of art and creativity but also plays an essential role in presenting the Netherlands’ rich artistic heritage to an international audience. Significantly, the Van Gogh Museum generates 85% of its own income – a remarkably high percentage compared to other public museums – proving its international success and appeal on an economic level as well.
Major maintenance unavoidable
The Van Gogh Museum’s success also has a downside: since opening in 1973, it has attracted almost 57 million visitors, with a highpoint of 2.6 million people in 2017, while the museum building owned by the Dutch government, was not designed for such footfall. After more than fifty years of intensive use, the museum building no longer meets the current requirements. It falls short in terms of sustainability, safety, and climate control.
The buildings are in poor condition, requiring substantial investments to keep them safe and suitable for public access. Most technical installations have reached the end of their operational lifespan, are conceptionally outdated and increasingly difficult to maintain due to a lack of spare parts. As a result, ongoing maintenance is no longer feasible and the systems must be replaced.
In addition, improvements in sustainability are mandatory for all Dutch public buildings from 2024 onwards, which require extensive and costly modifications of the facilities. Finally, major maintenance is necessary to comply with legal and contractual obligations.
Masterplan 2028
The Van Gogh Museum has commissioned a plan for major maintenance and essential sustainability measures, called Masterplan 2028. The work is slated to begin in 2028 and is expected to last approximately three years. During this period, the museum will remain partially open to the public. The total cost of Masterplan 2028 amounts to € 104 million, of which € 76 million is earmarked for maintenance, replacement, and investment works; € 23 million for sustainability; and € 5 million for improvements.
The museum is unable to finance Masterplan 2028, because the government has not provided sufficient subsidy for the Van Gogh Museum’s buildings and facilities. The museum is already using its own resources to make the renovation possible; for instance, it is covering the lost revenue (approx. € 50 million) during the partial closures for the renovation, and it is allocating its own capital in order to be eligible for a state loan.
An annual contribution of over €11 million is required to cover necessary renovations and mandatory sustainability efforts, to finance the project, and to save for regular future major maintenance. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, however, will not provide more than the current level of support, which is € 8.5 million, leaving the museum € 2.5 million short on an annual basis.
If the Dutch State fails to honour its historic agreement with the ‘Engineer’ van Gogh, and therefore does not provide sufficient funds for renovations, improvements in sustainability, and enough for periodic major maintenance in the future, the planned project cannot proceed. In that case the museum faces closure, because it will not be able to guarantee the safety of the collection, visitors, and staff.
Vincent van Gogh Foundation supports the museum
The Vincent van Gogh Foundation, owner of almost the entire collection of works by Van Gogh and his contemporaries at the Van Gogh Museum fully supports the museum’s position.
‘The Vincent van Gogh Foundation is deeply concerned about the accessibility of the Van Gogh collection in light of the current funding issues surrounding necessary investments in the Van Gogh Museum's buildings and facilities’, the Foundation notes in a statement. ‘Engineer V. W. van Gogh, nephew of the artist, made the agreement with the Dutch State in 1962 and made his private collection available to the public domain. In return, the Dutch State must fulfil its legally established obligations.’
A promise made is a promise kept
The Dutch State contractually committed itself to building and maintaining a museum for the unique Van Gogh collection in 1962. Managing, preserving, and exhibiting the collection was considered more important for the Netherlands at the time than financial consequences. This remains unchanged today, given the museum's enormous success and its importance to the Netherlands as a whole.
The solution is simple: the government must allocate sufficient resources for renovations, sustainability improvements, and savings for major maintenance.
Because a promise made is a promise kept. Even when it comes to a government.
