Museum Director Urges Dutch Government to Fund Repairs or Face Potential Closure of Van Gogh Museum

THE HAGUE – The museum in Amsterdam that houses a treasured collection of artworks by Vincent van Gogh, among the most beloved artists globally, faces potential closure unless the Dutch government contributes to the costs for essential repairs to its deteriorating building, according to the museum’s director.

Opened in 1973, the Van Gogh Museum has welcomed nearly 57 million visitors, who come to admire celebrated pieces such as a painting of sunflowers, “Almond Blossom,” “The Potato Eaters,” and a vibrant representation of van Gogh’s bedroom in Arles, France.

Director Emilie Gordenker has highlighted that the original structure, owned by the Dutch government, is in dire need of immediate and comprehensive repairs to safeguard both its invaluable collection and its visitors.

“Without addressing the necessary maintenance, we may be forced to shut down,” she mentioned in a phone interview with The Associated Press. Her concerns were initially reported by The New York Times on Wednesday.

Gordenker stated that the building, now half a century old, requires extensive upkeep, and discussions with the government over two years have yet to resolve how to fund the repairs, which are projected to begin in 2028, take three years, and cost 104 million euros ($121 million).

“It’s now getting very urgent,” she said.

During the renovation, the museum would be partially shut, leading to reduced income from entry fees. “We are simply asking them to assist us in financing this fundamental maintenance,” she stated.

The nearby Rijksmuseum shut down for years for a largescale renovation, but Gordenker says that kind of major facelift is not what the Van Gogh Museum is appealing for.

Among other things, urgent repairs are needed for air conditioning, elevators, even the sewage system.

“It’s not the fun, sexy, let’s build a new wing stuff,” she said.

In a written reaction, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science said that the museum receives an annual subsidy “sufficient to carry out the necessary maintenance. This position is based on extensive expert research commissioned by the Ministry.”

It said the museum objected to the subsidy decision last year and recently filed an appeal in a Dutch court that will be heard in February next year. “It is not unusual for parties to have a subsidy decision reviewed by the court,” the ministry added.

The dispute has its origins in a decision by Van Gogh’s family to transfer a trove of his art — more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings and 900 letters along with works by contemporaries such as Paul Gauguin — to a foundation set up in 1962 to keep the collection together. In return, the government pledged to build and maintain a museum where the works could be displayed, the museum said in a statement.

Gordenker argues that means the government should also help to fund the work the museum now needs.