The Rijksmuseum and ARTIS-Micropia unveil interesting finds on The Night Watch
- 10 November 2026
What microbes live on The Night Watch? ARTIS-Micropia and the Rijksmuseum unveiled the new installation The Night Watch Lives during a festive opening. For the first time, visitors can take a close look at the microbes cultivated from Rembrandt’s world-famous painting. From skin bacteria to soil dwellers: there is more life on The Night Watch than meets the eye.
Festive unveiling of The Night Watch Lives
The installation The Night Watch Lives was officially opened at ARTIS-Micropia. Those present were introduced to a remarkable, invisible world within Rembrandt’s masterpiece. During the opening, there was also a live demonstration of how research into microbes on The Night Watch is carried out. Using the same round felt pads that are used to take samples from the painting, samples were this time taken from the foreheads of Rembrandt Sutorius, Taco Dibbits, Katrien Keune and Karlien Pijnenborg.
ARTIS-Micropia and the Rijksmuseum bring art and science together
The installation is the result of a special collaboration between ARTIS-Micropia and the Rijksmuseum. Micropia’s laboratory technicians and the Rijksmuseum’s conservators are investigating which micro-organisms live on The Night Watch. To this end, samples are being taken from around sixty locations over a period of six months. In the laboratory, these microbes grow into visible colonies, which are displayed alongside a life-size reproduction of the painting.
Eline van Bloois, microbiologist at ARTIS-Micropia
‘As a microbiologist, I never thought I’d ever get this close to this masterpiece. It’s often thought that art and science are at odds with one another, but this installation actually shows that these worlds are intertwined. And let’s be honest, aren’t those Petri dishes full of microbes little works of art in their own right?’
Katrien Keune, Head of Science Rijksmuseum:
‘Operation Night Watch is the largest research and restoration project ever undertaken on Rembrandt’s masterpiece. Thanks to research at both the macro and micro levels, the Rijksmuseum has learnt much more about how Rembrandt painted The Night Watch and the condition of the painting. Thanks to the unique expertise of ARTIS-Micropia, we will soon also know which micro-organisms live on The Night Watch.’
Which microbes have been found on The Night Watch?
The initial research findings reveal a surprising mix of organisms. For example, skin bacteria have been found, including Staphylococcus epidermidis and Micrococcus luteus. Bacteria known to be found in the soil and around plant roots have also been detected.
One striking discovery is Microbacterium saccharophilum, a species of bacterium first identified in 2013 at a Japanese sugar refinery. But how did this bacterium end up on *The Night Watch*? And what stories do the other microbes tell about the painting’s history? That remains a mystery for the time being.
Now on display at ARTIS-Micropia
Research into the invisible life on The Night Watch will continue over the coming months. New samples will be analysed and the results will be added to the installation on an ongoing basis. In this way, the extraordinary community on Rembrandt’s masterpiece continues to grow. Curious to find out which microbes live on The Night Watch? The Night Watch Lives is now on display at ARTIS-Micropia in Amsterdam until the end of May 2027. Do pop in and view Rembrandt’s masterpiece from a surprising new perspective!
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