Museum Arnhem is housed in a former buitensociëteit (country club) built in 1873 by the architect Cornelis Outshoorn. This neoclassical building consists of a central domed section flanked by two inflected wings that embrace the garden and steer the eye towards the spectacular Rhine Valley. HCVA’s plan for the renovation and extension of the museum is geared to creating a perfect symbiosis between the architectural qualities of the existing building, the landscape and the art. To that end, the former country club will once again become a building that welcomes visitors; it will house all the public functions, such as the entrance, museum café, museum shop and auditorium. Windows, doors and galleries will be opened up again so that the landscape becomes part of the museum experience.
To enhance the park-like qualities of the setting, the 1956 Eschauzier wing will be demolished and replaced by a new, underground extension. This extension consists of a sequence of flexible gallery spaces for temporary exhibitions, ranging in scale from the intimate to the large-scale. The parallel structure proceeds stepwise from the existing building and terminates in a distinctive, double-height roof lantern. The lantern presents as a free-standing pavilion in the grounds and meticulously marks the topography of the glacial ridge, thereby reaffirming the museum’s unique setting from ‘Onderlangs’ as well.