History and timeline
Are you curious about the history of the Kröller-Müller Museum? In our Timeline, you will find all the stories about the origins of the museum and the collection. Learn about our founder Helene Kröller-Müller and her husband Anton. And meet her successors: The directors Sam van Deventer, Bram Hammacher, Rudi Oxenaar, Evert van Straaten and all the artists and architects with whom they collaborated.
What will you find in our timeline?
In the Timeline you can read about why Helene Kröller-Müller wanted to establish a museum and where her art collection was kept during the Second World War. And about the origins of the sculpture garden and how important acquisitions and exhibitions came about.
H.P. Berlage, Design for the Museum on the Franse Berg, 1918
'The Timeline enables visitors to make connections between the present, the past and the future. If you indulge in this "game", a visit to the museum becomes even more exciting.'
Benno Tempel (current director)
Treasures from our archives
The Timeline gives you a look behind the scenes of the museum and shares treasures from our archives. Such as a handwritten letter from Helene, photos from the opening of Jardin d’émail, construction and interior drawings of Jachthuis St. Hubertus by H.P. Berlage and the model and working drawing of Floating Sculpture ‘Otterlo’ (‘Swan’) by Marta Pan.
From 1869 to 2012
The Timeline starts on 11 February 1869, the birthday of founder Helene Müller, and runs up to 31 March 2012 for now, the farewell of former director Evert van Straaten. With this lays the foundation of the Timeline, but there is still much more to tell! Thanks to ongoing research, the museum continues to share new stories about the museum's history and collection.
Development of the timeline
For the compilation of the Timeline, research was carried out in the archives of the Kröller-Müller Museum, and we frequently quote from annual reports and catalogues. A great deal of information is also drawn from the biographies:
- Helene Kröller-Müller, 1869-1939; De Eeuwigheid verzameld (Collecting Eternity) by Eva Rovers (2010),
- Anton Kröller 1862-1941; Leven op krediet (Living on credit) by Ariëtte Dekker (2015),
- A.M. Hammacher; Kunst als levensessentie (Art as life essence) by Peter de Ruiter (2000)
- The Confidant. Sam van Deventer, The Kröller-Müller couple and the Second World War by Ariëtte Dekker (2024).
Of course, we can highly recommend these publications for further reading!
The Timeline is made possible with the support of the Helene Kröller-Müller Fund.
