Museum Catharijneconvent in Utrecht

In Museum Catharijneconvent in Utrecht you will become acquainted with the present and the past of Christianity in Holland. Exquisite gold and silver, statues of saints, GSUS jeans, paintings by old masters, such as Rembrandt, video art and centuries-old manuscripts. Its collection of both Protestant and Catholic works of art make this museum unparalleled in the world.

History of Christianity in Utrecht Museum

The Museum Catharijneconvent in Utrecht is housed in a former Medieval monastery and illustrates the history of Christianity. The meaning behind the celebration of holidays, such as Easter and Pentecost, is also explained. From early 2009, the Utrecht wing will be devoted to an exhibit on the ecclesiastical authorities and art in Utrecht.

 

Museum Catharijneconvent, from monastery to museum

Museum Catharijneconvent is situated in the historical heart of Utrecht, in a 15-th century monastery. The building was a hospital and had various other purposes. In 1979 Queen Juliana opened Rijksmuseum Het Catharijneconvent. Since that time, the complex has undergone some renovations and restorations. Many items in the current collection came from the ecclesiastical collections of the Archiepiscopal Museum, the Old-Catholic Museum in Utrecht and the Episcopal Museum in Haarlem. In addition, the collection comprises works of art from the Episcopal museums in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Roermond. More than 60,000 objects are on display, including paintings, holy-water fonts, devotional pictures and obituary cards.

 

Michelin stars and recommendation

The Michelin guide for European Cities 2006 says that the Museum Catharijneconvent is ‘well worth the trip’ and gives it its highest rating of 3 stars. The jury of the European Museum Forum gave Museum Catharijneconvent Utrecht a special recommendation during the presentation of the European Museum of the Year Award 2008.

Read on about the Museum Catharijneconvent in Utrecht or learn more about Centraal Museum Utrecht