Obama's Rijksmuseum visit detailed
American president Barack Obama will pay a visit to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam on Monday, 24 March, prior to the Nuclear Summit in The Hague. He will be received by Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Amsterdam's mayor Eberhard van der Laan. Obama will then be led around the museum by its director, Wim Pijbes. He will be shown several of the museum's prize pieces including De Nachtwacht by Rembrandt. Especially for the presidential visit, the museum is pulling a special piece from the National Archive in The Hague to Amsterdam. It is a historic document from 1581 that served as inspiration for the American Declaration of Independence.
The so-called Plakkaat van Verlaetinghe, or the Oath of Abjuration will be shown to the president along with the American-Dutch trade and friendship treaty dating back to 1782. After the tour, Obama and Rutte will discuss current political and economic matters, and will then talk to the press. The municipality of Amsterdam is emphasizing that the presidential visit is "not a public event", and has organized barriers to be placed on the Museumplein to ensure that little to none of the president can be seen. Extra safety measures are also being taken, with special regulations being put in place starting this week. This is because of the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague. Several attending delegates will be staying in Amsterdam overnight, and Obama is also entering the city along with Chinese president Xi Jinping before the Summit.
