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Reinventing an ethnological museum:Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam Paul Voogt, director Public Programs

Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl

Colonial Museum, Haarlem 1871

The fibres gallery, 1912


Colonial Museum, Amsterdam 1926

Display of Papuan man with child (New Guinea)


Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam 1979

Solidarity with Sandinastas, Nicaragua Temporary exhibition, 1986


Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam 1979

India gallery, slum dwelling ‘environment’


Tropenmuseum, 1990 - 2000

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50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000


Changing population and travel destinations

Amsterdam (pop. 750.000)non-western immigrants as % of total population

1980: 13%2006: 33%

Netherlands (pop. 16 million)holiday destination outside Europe

1980: 173.0002005: 2.5 million


Tropenmuseum, late 1990’s

Time for a new strategy

•Rediscover the collections•Revalue them as universal heritage•Display them in explicit historical context•With a direct link to contemporary intercultural discourse


Tropenmuseum, refurbishment permanent galleries, 1995 - 2005

New Guinea, ritual traditions, 2003


Tropenmuseum, refurbishment permanent galleries, 1995 - 2005

The Netherlands East Indies, a colonial history, 2003



Marketing strategy

•Visitor point of view• Throughout entire chain of exhibition making:• Theme selection • Exhibition making process• Communication

• Throughout entire museum:• Hospitality• Catering• Events• ‘Department store’ concept



020000400006000080000100000120000140000160000180000200000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007



Visitor figures Tropenmuseum

2002: 137.0002007: 126.000 (first 6 months!)

Comparative figures

Netherlands national museums1997 - 2004: - 6%Amsterdam museums2002 – 2006: + 8%Tropenmuseum2002 – 2006: + 22%


Tropenmuseum, Urban Islam Temporary exhibition 2004


Tropenmuseum, Dealing with the gods Temporary exhibition 2004



Visitor figuresDutch with non-western background

Tropenmuseum 4%

Urban Islam (2004) 10%Dealing with the Gods (2006) 7%(Source: own research)

School visits (1/3 of total visits) 35%(educated guess)

Other museums for cultural history 0%(Source: Museum-monitor)



Marketing for preserving heritage

2007: Tropenmuseum admitted to exclusive club of beneficiaries of Netherlands National Heritage Lottery (Bank Giro Loterij), receives 1 million Euros for collections fund

Tropenmuseum back in the race!



Tropenmuseum heritage is universal heritage

Collection databaseOut of 300.000 items (165.000 objects, 135.000 photographs), 90.000 are online available (validated + picture)

Embarking on new web-based project for:•Thematic organization of information•User-friendly search function (‘scout’)•Also for intangible heritage and contextual information



Tropenmuseum heritage is universal heritage

International cooperation•South Africa Family Histories (2002)•International conferences to prepare refurbishment of permanent galleries•Debate on human remains•Open for debate on restitution


Mentality-milieusMilieu-segmentation based on:

– Culture– Status– Family– Tradition– Open-mindedness– Achievement– Career– Thrill-seeking– Hedonism

Instrument: milieu-index


Mentality-milieusMilieu-segmentation based on:

– Culture– Status– Family– Tradition– Open-mindedness– Achievement– Career– Thrill-seeking– Hedonism

Instrument: milieu-index

High

Middle

Low

Preserve Possess Indulge Develop Experience

Traditional Modern Postmodern

values

status

Socio-demographics– Education– Profession

Values– Goals in life– Lifestyle– Work and achievement– Leisure– Family and relations


High

Middle

Low

Preserve Possess Indulge Develop Experience

Traditional Modern Postmodern

values

status

Upper Class

Mainstream

Traditionals

Achievers

Postmoderns

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