In Amsterdam, the reconstruction of the Rijksmuseum has been completed after nine years

photo: rijksmuseum.nl

Amsterdam - It took almost a whole decade, but now it is finally coming to an end - on Monday, the reconstruction of the famous Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam will symbolically conclude, where, among other things, the most famous canvases of Dutch masters are housed. The builders will hand the keys to the renovated building to the museum director Wim Pijbes, allowing the staff to start relocating artworks back into the exhibition halls. The museum will welcome its first visitors in spring 2013.
    The reconstruction of the museum in the center of the Dutch capital began in 2003 and, according to the original plans, was supposed to be completed in 2008. However, the completion date was continually pushed back for various reasons, which is why the building from 1885 has been closed for almost nine years.
    The complete renovation according to the plans of the Spanish architectural studio Cruz y Ortiz included not only the restoration of historical spaces but also a fundamental modernization of the technical infrastructure, including the installation of air conditioning and elevators.
    "Finally, we can start the arrangements," Director Pijbes is looking forward to moving over 10,000 artistic artifacts into 80 halls. However, the institution has over a million items in its collection, most of which are stored in depots.
    Over the past years, construction work has been continuously taking place in the Rijksmuseum, but it has never been completely closed. At least a few halls in the side wings were always accessible to visitors, showcasing the greatest treasures from the museum's collections - such as the large Rembrandt canvas The Night Watch or works by Vermeer and Hals.
    The museum will be open from April 2013, 365 days a year. It is expected that one of the biggest tourist attractions in the Netherlands will be visited by over two million people.