Museum Dr8888

About the museum

The museum's beginnings go back to 1936, when the "Oudheidkamer Smallingerland" (local antiquities room) was established. Over the decades the focus shifted to the visual arts, encouraged by donations from artists such as Ids Wiersma, S. H. de Roos and Jan Planting. K. Schippers' book "Holland Dada" also drew attention back to Drachten's Dada history and to the Rinsema brothers.

Since 1 January 1996 the museum has been housed in the former Franciscan monastery on the Museumplein. The monastery was built in 1937 to plans by H. H. de Graaf in the Delft School style, was abandoned in 1970 and used as a town hall from 1972; in 1994/95 Rein de Valk converted it. Before that the museum was located on the Moleneind.

The collection comprises more than 13,000 objects and concentrates on the interwar period, with works by Theo van Doesburg, Kurt Schwitters, Thijs and Evert Rinsema and H. N. Werkman. The café "Petite Aubette" is a reconstruction of the Ciné-Dancing hall of the Aubette in Strasbourg, which van Doesburg designed in the 1920s with Hans Arp and Sophie Taeuber-Arp. The second site, the Van Doesburg-Rinsemahuis, is a residential house in the De Stijl style of 1921.

Highlights

• Drachten avant-garde: works by Theo van Doesburg, Kurt Schwitters and the Rinsema brothers
• Van Doesburg-Rinsemahuis, a residential house in the De Stijl style of 1921 (separate site)
• Café "Petite Aubette" as a reconstruction of the Ciné-Dancing hall of the Aubette
• Collection of over 13,000 objects on the interwar period
• Free introductory tour every Friday morning

Permanent exhibition

• Van Doesburg-Rinsemahuis – Completely preserved residential house in the De Stijl style of 1921, restored after extensive colour research; separate site with a joint ticket offer.

Founded

1936

Director

Wybren Jorritsma

Admission & discounts

Price for one site (museum or Rinsemahuis). Free admission with the Museumkaart, ICOM and for Friends of the Museum (from €25 a year). Tickets for both sites are bought at the museum ticket desk.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is step-free, the second floor is accessible by lift; a wheelchair can be borrowed. Access to the garden with a wheelchair or walker is only possible by going around the outside. The Van Doesburg-Rinsemahuis has no lift and is not suitable for wheelchairs. Assistance dogs are allowed on a lead, other dogs are not.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

For children there is a treasure hunt and creative activities in the studio.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located in the centre of Drachten at Museumplein 2; the Van Doesburg-Rinsemahuis is at Torenstraat 3.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

Museum café "Petite Aubette" (run by volunteers) and museum shop with books and cards, accessible during opening hours even without a museum visit; in fine weather the museum garden opens. Coats and bags in the cloakroom or locker.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

According to the website, the museum is suitable for meetings, book presentations and film screenings; the Van Doesburg-Rinsemahuis can also be used as a backdrop.

Plan your visit