Dordrechts Museum

The museum was established in 1842 by a group of five art collectors from the Dordrecht area.^[5] It moved to its current location in 1904 taking over the converted building of a former asylum for the mentally ill.^[6] Initial work to make the building suitable was designed by Bernardus van Bilderbeek. It was not until the 1970s that there was further work on the museum - local architect and designer Water Nikkels oversaw the creation of two adjoining buildings. In 2006, architect Dirk Jan Postel (of Kraaivanger Architects) received the commission to add a new wing.^[7] It was completed by 2010 allowing for better display temporary exhibitions, as well as improved visitor facilities, including more toilets, a shop and restaurant (the 'Grand Cafe').^[8]

In 2015, the museum restituted to the heirs of Jacques Hederman a painting by Jacob Cuyp (1594 – 1652) which had been looted by the Nazis. The museum then repurchased the painting.^[9][10]

The museum shows regular exhibitions of Old Master, modern and contemporary art. One of its most noted exhibitions was In the Light of Cuyp: Aelbert Cuyp & Gainsborough – Constable – Turner, which explored the influencing of the Dordrecht landscape painters on British artists from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. ^[11][12] The museum also hosts the Galatea Foundation's annual art prize to support migrants with artistic careers.^[13]

Since 2022, the artistic director has been Femke Hameetman.^[14] She replaced Peter Schoon, who had been artistic director since 2002.^[15] There are around 120 staff,^[16] and a yearly budget of around 16 million Euros.^[17] In 2023, the museum received 87,067 visitors.^[17]

The museum has works of the following artists:

• 
  Portrait of Cornelis van Lill his grandson and the artist (1735) by Aert Schouman
• 
  Scenery with trees and cattle near Dordrecht (c. 1800) by Jacob van Strij
• 
  Interior of an Inn (1825) by Abraham van Strij
• 
  Schoolbijven (1886) by Thérèse Schwartze