Small Dutch museums are struggling, Council for Culture warns

The success of a few large museums in the Netherlands created the image that all is well in the museum world, but that is not the case at all, according to the Council for Culture. Small museums in the country are struggling, the Council warns, RTL Nieuws reports.

Public attractions like the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam with its collection of Rembrandts, or the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague with its Mondriaans, have nothing to complain about. But the smaller museums are having a very hard time attracting visitors, according to the Council.

The smaller museums are struggling to keep their collections up to standard or to organize activities for schools. The number of private museums is growing, so there is more competition. And the costs of putting together a reasonably attractive exhibition are on the rise. At the same time, government subsidies are decreasing.

According to the Council for Culture, smaller museums in the Netherlands are facing an "insidious decay".

The Council calls on museums to become more of a meeting place for all kinds of target groups. The Mondriaan Fund should also make it possible for museums to purchase important art for the region, the Council suggests.