From the Depot! Heritage to love
Almost all museums, including Museum Rijswijk, have the majority of their collection stored in the depot. It is impossible to show all of the roughly 15,000 Rijswijk objects. In recent years, the museum has brought many unknown objects into the spotlight through thematic exhibitions, but there are many more that urgently deserve a place in the gallery. For the exhibition From the depot! all cupboards and drawers were therefore opened.
Each room surprises with its own subject. The 19th century poet Hendrik Tollens, the namesake of the old museum building, returns. The Peace of Rijswijk collection will also have a place, with well-known but also unknown prints and other items that illustrate this Rijswijk milestone from 1697. Those who don't want to go back in time can indulge in the works of artists from the 60s, 70s and 80s of the last century.
Of course, the artists who worked at De Voorde are not missing here. Work by Hermanus Berserik can be seen, as well as by his colleagues Kees Andrea and Armand van der Helm. But artists were also active elsewhere in Rijswijk, such as Henk Kuipers, Kees Watjes, Achile van der Sijpt, Piet Franz and many others. They have been unfairly forgotten because anyone who now sees their paintings, drawings and watercolors cannot help but be impressed by the diversity of styles and the diverse use of color and materials.
The old Rijswijk is of course also discussed. Prints, drawings and photos offer a view of the village and its many country estates. Much has disappeared, but the rich museum collection makes part of that history visible again. We see the Rijswijkers and their daily lives with the objects that are part of it: pots and pans, toys, home crafts, tools and even more witnesses of everyday life.
All this is Rijswijk heritage. It ranges from grand and compelling to small and seemingly insignificant. Apparently, because regardless of size and appearance, all objects in the collection have a 'story'. If you take those stories out of the depot and tie them together, a rich history of Rijswijk is created. Not one of facts and dates, but of objects that are still recognisable, familiar and attractive. In short, heritage to love.