Museum world outraged by Mauritshuis climate protest

The climate protest involving the Girl with a Pearl Earring in the Mauritshuis has sparked outrage in the Dutch museum world. Climate activists glued themselves to the famous painting by Johannes Vermeer, which is protected with glass, and also the wall on Thursday afternoon. "We do not understand any attack on art," said Taco Dibbits, the director of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

Three Belgians, including a 42-year-old man and two 45-year-old men, were arrested. Among them is Wouter M., a well-known climate activist who previously ran up the course of the Tour of Flanders during the final sprint of the cycling race. He also used cable ties to secure himself to a goalpost during the Belgian Cup final in April

Benno Tempel, the director of the Kunstmuseum The Hague, said he found the news to be terrible. "The impact on the museum world is huge," he said. "It's very stressful. People in the museums are wondering where the next action will take place." He thinks it is nice that the museum audience was sympathetic to the Mauritshuis in this case..

The Kunstmuseum said it is always taking precautions to protect the paintings. "Because it has to do with security, we will not make any further statements about this," said a spokesperson. The Rijksmuseum also did not want to comment about possible extra security measures.

Director Paul Baltus of the Mondriaanhuis in Amersfoort called the action "outrageous and abhorrent." He said that he is trying to be understanding of the underlying issue, but not the way in which attention is drawn to it. The Mondriaanhuis is extra vigilant about these kinds of incidents, which have already happened in other European countries. "But we realize that when something like this happens, it happens. It's hard to put a security guard next to every artwork." Should it happen, the museum is prepared to limit the damage as much as possible. "We work a lot with volunteers and have instructed them not to intervene themselves."

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has declined to comment because, according to a spokesperson, it does not want to draw more attention to the incident in the Mauritshuis. "What we wanted to say about it, we said during the Jinek broadcast," he said referring to Tuesday's action in which a climate activist also glued himself to the talk show's table. During the broadcast in question, museum director Emilie Gordenker was invited to talk about the recent actions of climate activists. About safety measures, the spokesperson said, "The safety of our visitors, art and employees always comes first. And also now."

The Museum Association, the branch organization of all museums in the Netherlands, was shocked by the action. "Art is defenseless, and we reject trying to damage it for any purpose. These works of art belong to all of us, it is our shared heritage and we must take good care of it, just like nature," the statement said. "The climate crisis is urgent and is also an important theme in museums, both in front of and behind the scenes. Museums are a social platform to have these conversations and to enter into dialogue with each other."

The Mauritshuis has said it does not wish to honor the stunt with additional publicity. The museum referred back to its statement after the incident, saying that the incident happened at 2 p.m., three people were arrested, and the painting was not damaged. "Art is defenseless, and the Mauritshuis strongly rejects trying to damage it for whatever purpose," the museum stated.