the netherlands is getting a historical museum
but what’s it going to look like?
we’re going to find out
The Netherlands has no place where its collective past can be experienced. Parliament in particular sees this as a significant deficiency. Especially at a time in which the Netherlands is in search of its identity, such a museum could play an important role. Anno, the organization dedicated to promoting interest in history in the Netherlands was asked to create a concept for such a museum, together with the the Dutch Centre for Political Participation (IPP - Instituut voor Publiek en Politiek). A focus on past, present and future democratic processes was therefore sure to be included in the concept.
The broad outlines of the plan had already been decided, but how should these be expanded on to complete it? And what would there be to see leading up to the opening in 2012? The Ministers wanted to know the answers. Tinker was called on to create a plan of activities through to 2012.
Designing a museum together with the Netherlands. Called ‘Leefwereld.nl’ (‘Social Environment.nl’), the plan consists of three components. The media circus is a travelling caravan of historians, press hounds and noise-makers. News is made wherever the circus puts up its tent, so every corner of the country becomes newsworthy. In laboratory.nl, all the creatives in the Netherlands get a chance to discover new exhibitions. How do you put our identity in the picture? In Channel, the existing media are used to bring historical and democratic topics to the surface in various programmes.