Museum Arnhem
Competition Proposal

The design for Museum Arnhem by Kraaijvanger and Kokke Designer was selected as one of five proposals presented to the evaluation committee of the Municipality of Arnhem and Museum Arnhem. The winning entry of the competition will be announced on 27 June. 

The proposal is based on the idea that a museum which enriches society and connects people must function as a place of encounter. It is conceived as an open and visible building, interwoven with the city and the surrounding landscape, featuring an accessible collection and an open organizational structure. 

The museum is positioned as the concluding element of Arnhem’s cultural axis. The new museum is organized with exhibition spaces on a single level and opens toward the landscape without obstructing views from the moraine ridge. A new entrance at Onderlangs connects to both the dome and the existing entrance on Utrechtseweg. 

The monument is transformed into an open art society, offering space for cultural activities at all times of day, alongside the Grand Café Pierre. The dome acts as the central node, connecting all parts of the museum. In the museum garden, historic sightlines are restored. The distinctive perspective of the Rhine Hall is framed as a pavilion. Valuable existing trees are preserved, while new trees, including Scots pines, are planted. An architectural “eye” creates a visual connection between the exhibition galleries and the sculpture garden, which is reconfigured as part of the plan. The building’s layout, with underground and flexible spaces, makes it fundamentally sustainable. Energy exchange with Liander and ArtEZ is possible. The design places strong emphasis on refined materialization, precise detailing and the craftsmanship and pleasure of making. The result is a new museum with a strong local identity and international appeal, offering generous space for the museum’s distinctive collection and independent programming.