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Main Building Amsterdam's first museum building

The Main Building is the earliest surviving building commissioned by the Natura Artis Magistra society and stands on the oldest piece of ARTIS land.

The Main Building had two functions: downstairs were halls for meetings, upstairs was the museum.

Then and now

Since 2022, the ARTIS Groote Museum has been housed in the monumental Main Building. Originally, the building was simply called ‘Main Building’ and was known on maps as ‘Zoological Museum’. Only in the twentieth century did the name ‘Groote Museum’ become commonplace.

From cabinet to museum building

When ARTIS was founded in 1838, it had more stuffed animals and animals on strong water than live animals. This collection was housed in a small wooden cabinet, which soon proved too small. So the larger Main Building was designed, the first building in Amsterdam to be built specifically as a museum. It was designed by Jan van Maurik in a simple, classical style, with new materials like cast iron and lots of glass.

 

From past to present

present name
Groote Museum
old name
Main Building
built in
1850-1855
designed by
Jan van Maurik

Elegant details

There were originally two stone lions at the entrance, made by sculptor J.J.F. Verdonck (1823 -1878). He also made sculptures in the stairwell and probably the medallions with portraits of Linneaus and Cuvier on the garden side. In 1938, the lions were replaced by sculptures by Jaap Kaas (1898-1972), donated by ARTIS staff.

Growth and shutdown

The museum rooms were full of stuffed animals, skeletons and showcases with birds, shells and fish on liquor. They soon proved too small for the ever-growing collection, some of which was moved to other buildings. By 1900, ARTIS owned no less than ten museum collections, spread all over the garden. In 1947, the Main Building had to close, due to overdue maintenance and lack of funds after the war. The various collections were eventually disposed of. The ethnographic collection went to the Tropenmuseum. The natural history collection was transferred to the University of Amsterdam. A part remained visible in the Zoological Museum in the ARTIS Aquarium for a while, until it was incorporated into the Naturalis collection in 2011.

Reopening

As part of the large-scale renovation of ARTIS, this national monument was restored, both as a building and as a museum. The Main Building regained its former functions: downstairs rooms for meetings, upstairs museum rooms. A new basement with entrance, shop and lockers was added. On 6 May 2022, Queen of the Netherlands Máxima opened the renovated ARTIS Groote Museum.

discover ARTIS Groote Museum