September sees the start of renovation work at Hollandsche Schouwburg and the former ‘Hervormde Kweekschool’ on Plantage Middenlaan. These two historic buildings, which played such a central role in the destruction of Dutch Jewry in the Second World War, are home to the new National Holocaust Museum, set to open in 2023. A central theme is rehumanising the victims. Annemiek Gringold, National Holocaust Museum curator and project leader: “Personal stories allow visitors to explore existential questions relating to the Holocaust.”
Architectural Office Winhov has designed the renovation. “The architecture of the National Holocaust Museum reflects the history of the neighbourhood. By shaping the design to convey this history, we help visitors use their imagination. The fence separating the former kindergarten, where children were smuggled to the resistance, is out of view. By making it visible, visitors can reflect on the personal stories of these youngsters and their rescuers,” Office Winhov’s Uri Gilad and Inez Tan explain. The construction work by Bouwbedrijf M.J. de Nijs en Zonen, Klomp Technisch Buro and Elektropartners, is supervised by Wijngaarde & Partners.
Read more on the website of the Jewish Cultural Quarter