Why is Rembrandt seen as our country’s greatest painter? What makes him so special? In ‘Hello Rembrandt!’ in the Mauritshuis, children look for answers to these questions. The temporary exhibition is the first this museum has organised which focuses primarily on children. It was developed for target groups 0-6 years and 7-11 years. This resulted in two exhibitions in the space. Content layering in the presentation also ensures there is something for other age groups.

A large table stands in the centre of the cylindrical part of the exhibition room. On top of the table, visitors can play with clothes, objects, colours and raw materials. This acts as an introduction to some basic principles of painting and is more about the play than the content. For parents, the table is decorated with all kinds of facts which can be explained to the children.

The rest of the space is taken up by a large wooden frame which winds through the room like a snake. The idea behind this part of the exhibition is of a stretched canvas. In fact, the installation is made up of frames which have been screwed together. With the frame as a basic element, we made all kinds of shapes, from cupboards to tables.

Through five themes, we try to answer the question: What makes Rembrandt so special? The themes are: colour, technology, composition, people and value. There is a timeline twelve metres long on the wall which tells Rembrandt’s personal story, with all its highs and lows. The exhibition ends with a film in which all kinds of people look at a painting by Rembrandt. Each person sees their own thing in it!

In addition to the exhibition space, special workshops are given in a nearby classroom which were developed at the same time as the exhibition.