Museum IJsselstein

Museum IJsselstein is a museum located in the city of IJsselstein within the province of Utrecht, Netherlands. The institution explores the local history of IJsselstein while simultaneously hosting temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. It distinguishes its permanent collection presentation by organizing historical and artistic objects thematically around human emotions rather than adhering to a traditional chronological timeline, fostering a dialogue between the past and the present.

In 2021, the institution faced the threat of closure. That same year, Corine Honders assumed the role of director. Under her leadership, the museum has continued to balance its dual focus on local heritage and contemporary thematic exhibitions. Notably, in 2018, artist Fedor van Rossem created a drawing depicting 3000 years of IJsselstein history for the museum.

The permanent collection encompasses the local history of IJsselstein through a variety of historical objects, archaeological finds, and craft tools. Rather than displaying these artifacts chronologically, the museum categorizes them into emotion areas, such as nostalgia, pride, freedom, connection, hope, resistance, feeling bounded, and curiosity. This approach connects historical items like Iron Age shards and medieval shame stones with contemporary art, suggesting that human emotions bridge historical divides. Alongside its permanent presentation, the museum organizes temporary exhibitions centered on contemporary artists and current themes, such as the 2020 to 2021 exhibition on empathy titled Geen mens is een eiland.

Signature pieces in the permanent display include a model of Castle IJsselstein and two period rooms representing the years 1750 and 1960. Temporary and thematic exhibitions have featured works by several contemporary artists, including Francis Alÿs, whose 2002 video When Faith Moves Mountains documents a collective performance in Lima, Peru. Other exhibited artists include Charlotte Dumas, who photographed caisson horses for her Anima series, and the collaborative duo Sander Breure and Witte van Hulzen. The museum has also shown works by Esiri Erheriene-Essi, Jasper Griepink, Mylan Hoezen, and Joseph Sassoon Semah.

Museum IJsselstein is located in IJsselstein, Utrecht, Netherlands. It is open to the public every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Further information regarding current exhibitions and access is available on its official website.