Our time at the Kröller-Müller Museum made me think about the importance of integrating indoor and outdoor spaces in cultural heritage sites or community centers. I value thinking about how space is used and who it is designed for; intentionally including or excluding people through design can create power structures, community ties, and cultural identities. The Kröller-Müller Museum, to me, seemed to be designed with families needs in mind. The indoor space is curated works ranging from Picasso to Van Gogh and is more targeted towards adults and older generations. The outside sculpture gardens and grass areas are expansive and allow children to get out their energy and have fun while still being able to see some fabulous sculptures. This museum site is conducive for a family day outing; bike around the park, check out the museum and the sculptures, bike around to a picnic spot, then travel back home.
When we were at the museum I noticed a large number of student groups, some with young children who looked around the ages of six or seven. Expecting these students to be quiet and “contained” is unrealistic, so the outdoor sculpture garden space is a wonderfully accessible way for children to stay engaged and learn about the museum and its collection. I also noticed some of the other students going through the museum with checklists and worksheets and this showed that the museum seems to be a place where students are taken often to be exposed to new cultural and artistic experiences.
I personally loved being able to bike around the park and see the sculptures and the interior of different parts of the museum (due to the many glass walls). Being able to see inside while remaining outside triggered thoughts of accessibility, or lack-there-of. The glass walls made the museum feel more visible and open to all people regardless of who they are or where they come from. However, I also saw areas for improvement in accessibility. I noticed that it was a hassle to coordinate getting people to the museum who opted not to bike there. There should be a more efficient and streamlined process because otherwise people are prevented from feeling welcome into the museum if they can’t get there in the first place.
Most traditional museums only offer customers a walking tour and a meal in their cafe, but the Kröller-Müller’s location and intentional architectural and landscape design allows people to have a more immersive, natural, and enjoyable experience.
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