Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is at risk of closure

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is embroiled in a financial dispute with the Dutch government that could lead to its closure, director Emilie Gordenker told The New York Times on Wednesday (27).

According to Gordenker, the museum, which attracts around 1.8 million visitors a year and houses the largest collection of works by one of the world's most beloved artists, will not be able to finance large-scale renovations without state support.

Considered a national treasure, the institution, open since 1973, requires major renovations to preserve Van Gogh's more than 200 paintings and nearly 500 drawings. However, after two years of negotiations, funding negotiations with the Ministry of Culture have stalled.

"If this situation continues, it will be dangerous for the art and for our visitors. And it's the last thing we want - but if it gets to that point, we'll have to close the building," added the director who took over the museum in 2020.

According to Gordenker, after more than 50 years of intensive use, buildings no longer meet modern standards of sustainability, safety, and climate control. Furthermore, many technical facilities are obsolete and difficult to maintain.

The museum has filed a lawsuit against the state, which will likely lead to a court hearing in the coming months. The director's position is supported by an independent committee that raised serious concerns about the building last year.

The museum requested a $2.9 million increase over the standard annual government grant of approximately $10 million to fund upgrades to the air conditioning system and elevators, as well as fire safety, security, and sustainability improvements.

After van Gogh's death, much of the unsold work remained with his family. Vincent Willem van Gogh, his brother Theo's son and therefore the painter's nephew, reached an unprecedented agreement with the Dutch government in 1962 to prevent the collection from being dispersed.

Nicknamed "little Vincent" as a child, in memory of his uncle, who died a few months before his birth, the heir and artist transferred ownership of the entire collection to the Vincent van Gogh Foundation, created specifically for this purpose.

In exchange, the state committed to providing adequate resources for the construction and maintenance of a new museum, where the collection would be permanently housed and displayed to the public. A three-year renovation program is scheduled to begin in 2028 and will cost €104 million.