History
1969
Maarten and Reina van Bommel-van Dam, husband and wife from Amsterdam, donate their collection of modern art to the municipality of Venlo. It is a collection of more than 1,100 works of art, which the couple put together after the Second World War. As a condition for the gift, Maarten and Reina want the municipality to house their art collection in a museum. They would also like to live next to the museum, in a house with its own entrance to the museum. This way, they can view their collection at any time.
1971
Maarten and Reina’s collection is housed in a modern building at Deken van Oppensingel, designed by architect Jos van Hest. Maarten and Reina move into a bungalow next to the museum. This house gives the couple the opportunity to visit exhibitions and the depot at any time of the day through their personal door. Museum van Bommel van Dam opens its doors, making it the first modern art museum in the province of Limburg.
1984
The fact that Maarten and Reina’s collection now has a permanent home in Venlo does not mean that the couple stop collecting. They continue to visit exhibitions, auctions, galleries and studios. The result is a private collection of over 400 works. In 1984, this private collection is donated to the Van Bommel van Dam Foundation on long-term loan as an addition to the 1969 donation.
1984 - 2016
Maarten and Reina’ art collection is enriched with new works. With different directors at the helm, new works of art are acquired in line with the themes and styles of the original collection: the ‘core collection’. As the collection grows, the works of local artists from Limburg are put in the spotlight. After 2000, in the expansion policy, more and more attention is paid to new generations of artists and art responding to current developments in society. Maarten van Bommel passes away in 1991 and Reina van Bommel-van Dam in 2008.
2017
The building at Deken van Oppensingel no longer meets the climate requirements needed to exhibit and store art. The municipality looks for a solution and finds it in the former post office, a national monument along Keulsepoort dating back to 1938. Museum van Bommel van Dam prepares for a major relocation which coincides with the privatisation of the museum. This means that the art collection no longer belongs to the municipality of Venlo, but to the Van Bommel van Dam Foundation. However, the municipality continues to supervise the collection.
2017 - 2021
Even without a permanent location, museum van Bommel van Dam continues to work on reaching its goals. Digitally, on site and in cooperation with artists, companies and other museums. Meanwhile, at Keulsepoort, the museum works hard on preparing its brand-new location with space for the original collection, new collections, and meeting and relaxation areas. The former post office is renovated based on a design by BiermanHenket architects.
2021
Museum van Bommel van Dam opens its doors at the brand-new location at Keulsepoort, in the Venlo Museum Quarter.
