farewell director verwey museum haarlem

After fourteen years, director Laura van der Wijden will say goodbye to the Verwey Museum at the end of October 2025 HaarlemWhen she took office, the museum was still called the Historical Museum Haarlem and it was a small institution. The management was in the hands of a voluntary board with Ben de Vet, former director of patient care of the Mariastichting, as enthusiastic chairman. The board was supported by two employees who were appointed through the Melkert job scheme and a group of 120 dedicated volunteers. In the meantime, the museum has grown into a fully-fledged cultural institution with a solid position in Haarlem.

Van der Wijden, who was already involved with the museum as a volunteer during her PhD research, was given the opportunity to lead the museum as its first director in 2011. With the expansion to the first floor and the close collaboration with the Kees Verwey Foundation, which played an essential role in the growth and development of the museum, a new foundation was laid. Under her leadership, the museum has organized several impressive exhibitions in recent years. For example, the exhibitions attracted Thé Tjong-Khing – 90 years young en Close to Mari Andriessen in 2023 a record number of visitors: 28.000. Another highlight was the exhibition Turkish women pioneers, which was such a great success that it is now even traveling through Turkey. With the historical exhibition All Haarlemmers the museum has also made an important professionalization step. She certainly did not achieve this success alone; her colleagues and the many volunteers were and remain indispensable to the museum.

Supervisory Board: 'We would like to thank Laura for the way in which she has led the museum with enthusiasm and commitment over the past fourteen years. Under her leadership, the museum has created a variety of important exhibitions, reaching different target groups, and the educational program has undergone a significant expansion. Thanks to her, the organization has taken important steps in further professionalization and as a museum we are building on the solid foundation she has laid.'

Before Van der Wijden hands over the museum, the museum will first celebrate a special milestone this year: the Verwey year. It is 125 years ago that Kees Verwey was born, and that is being celebrated in style. With the exception of the historical display, the entire museum is dedicated to Verwey: his works, his life, his wife and his sources of inspiration. Van der Wijden is saying goodbye with this impressive series of exhibitions.

At the end of October, she will confidently hand over the baton. 'There is a beautiful, mature museum. It is now time for fresh blood, a new director who will take the museum even further with great élan.'

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