Rijksmuseum Amsterdam to open New Sculpture Garden
An exceptional donation from the Don Quixote Foundation will enable the Rijksmuseum to enrich the city of Amsterdam with a public sculpture garden of international stature.
In this green space with three pavilions, visitors will enjoy sculptures by world-renowned artists such as Alberto Giacometti, Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Jean Arp, Roni Horn and Henry Moore. The new garden will also host temporary sculpture exhibitions. The Don Quixote Foundation is donating 60 million euros to fund the development of the new site. It is also giving a large number of sculptures on long-term loan to the Rijksmuseum. The museum’s new exhibition space will be known as the Don Quixote Pavilion and Garden at the Rijksmuseum.
The sculpture garden will be situated just a stone’s throw from the Rijksmuseum, at the intersection of Boerenwetering, Ruysdaelkade and Stadhouderskade. Three existing pavilions and their adjoining gardens will be merged with Carel Willinkplantsoen to form a single sculpture garden. The pavilions, built in the Amsterdam School style, will be open to the public for the first time. These buildings will be transformed into sculpture exhibition spaces designed by the London firm Foster + Partners. The garden itself will be designed by the Belgian landscape architect Piet Blanckaert.
The main entrance to the sculpture garden will be located on Stadhouderskade. Visitors will be able to access the sculpture garden free of charge during the day. Exact opening hours will be determined in consultation with the municipality and local residents.
Main Image: Artist Impression of the planned Rijksmuseum sculpture garden. Image: Foster + Partners