Groninger Museum
Photo: from nl, uploaded by September 2006 — CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Groninger Museum in Groningen, Netherlands, exhibits modern and contemporary art, design, photography, fashion, and archaeology in a striking post-modernist building.
Planning your visit
The Groninger Museum is one of the most aggressively postmodern buildings in the Netherlands, and opinion about it has never settled. Alessandro Mendini coordinated the 1994 design, bringing in Philippe Starck and the deconstructivist practice Coop Himmelb(l)au, and the result sits on an island in the canal directly opposite the station: a collision of a gold-tiled cylinder, a laminated pavilion and a fractured metal volume, connected by bridges, in clashing colours. It was controversial from the day it opened and remains so locally.
Inside, the collection ranges widely — modern and contemporary art, design, photography, fashion, applied arts, and the archaeology and history of the Groningen region, including significant Chinese and Japanese ceramics recovered from shipwrecks. The temporary exhibitions are ambitious and often the reason to visit, with a track record of major fashion and design shows.
Groningen itself is a student city in the north, lively out of proportion to its size, and the museum sits immediately opposite the station, which makes it the easiest possible stop on arrival.
Allow two hours. The main booking is an entry ticket. Current availability is listed below.
Before you book
Where is Groninger Museum?
Groninger Museum is in Groningen, Netherlands. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for Groninger Museum?
Allow two hours. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Is Groninger Museum free to enter?
Yes, general admission to Groninger Museum is free. Guided tours and special exhibitions may still be charged separately.
Do I need to book Groninger Museum in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.
