ROTTERDAM.- Rotterdam City Council has approved plans to construct the Public Art Depot: the world’s first art storage facility that is fully accessible to the public. Visitors will have access to Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen’s world-famous collection, which comprises approximately 75,000 objects. The Public Art Depot is designed by Rotterdam-based architects MVRDV, known for the Markthal. The building is expected to open at the end of 2018.

Director Sjarel Ex: ‘Boijmans Van Beuningen is introducing a new museum typology with the Public Art Depot Museum. Visitors will be given a glimpse ‘behind the scenes’ of the museum. They will be able to see how our art treasures are stored and everything that is involved in managing such an extensive collection: from restorations to transportation of works.’

Public building
The public can visit the building in three ways. A lift provides free access to the rooftop restaurant with a dramatic view of Rotterdam’s skyline. On the way visitors will catch glimpses of how the collection is managed. Upon purchase of a ticket, visitors can wander freely through a large part of the building and visit the education spaces, galleries and expertise centre where artworks are restored. They will be able to see the collection depots through windows like a peep show. Those who wish to visit the depots can pay for a group guided tour, during which they will see all aspects of the collection ranging from medieval panel paintings to contemporary photography and installations and from robust sculptures to the most delicate porcelain. The size and diversity of the collection means that no two guided tours will be the same.

The design
MVRDV won the architectural competition to design the Public Art Depot in 2014. Their design has a rounded bowl form covered with reflective cladding. The façade’s reflection of the surrounding Museumpark will make the building fuse with its environment. The building will be a new architectural icon for the city with an effect similar to that of De Rotterdam by O.M.A. and the new Markthal by MVRDV.

Public-private partnership
The plans for the Public Art Depot are the result of a unique public-private partnership between the city of Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen and De Verre Bergen Foundation. The public-private partnership will continue once the building is completed: private collectors will be able to rent storage space within the Public Art Depot and make use of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen’s expertise in managing their collections. Visitors will have the opportunity to see these private collections.

Schedule and construction
Construction is expected to begin in the autumn of 2016. The construction will be followed by the rehousing of approximately 75,000 artworks, which are currently stored in depots around the city. The Public Art Depot is expected to open its doors to visitors at the end of 2018.

Why?
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen has a world-class collection of art and design spanning from the Middle Ages to the present day, including objects from all around the world. The collection comprises some 145,000 objects, of which approximately half are prints stored in the museum’s print room. Only around 7 per cent of the collection can be exhibited in the museum at any one time. The objects that are not on display are stored in various depots, some of them outside the city. This is inefficient; there is insufficient space and some of the depots are in poor condition with the risk of water damage. In the Public Art Depot the collection will be housed in state-of-the-art facilities with optimal climate-control and protection against theft, fire and water damage.