Organizer Information
Museum de Fundatie is a museum for the visual arts based in Zwolle, the Netherlands, with a second site at Kasteel het Nijenhuis, a historic castle with a sculpture garden near Heino. The institution is part of the Hannema-de Stuers Foundation and traces its origins to the collection of Dirk Hannema, former director of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, who founded the museum in 1958 and whose personal holdings, ranging from the late Middle Ages to the present day, formed its core. The Zwolle location occupies a neoclassical building originally built between 1838 and 1841 as the city's Palace of Justice, converted into an art museum in 2004–2005 and expanded in 2012–2013 with a distinctive oval rooftop extension known locally as "The Cloud." Museum de Fundatie has recorded visitor numbers in the hundreds of thousands annually and is a member of the Museumvereniging, the Dutch museum association. As described in the source material, the museum connects people with art through a collection of more than 16,000 works and aims to stimulate dialogue and offer new artistic perspectives to its visitors.
Title & Description
Curator of 19th- and 20th-Century Art
Museum de Fundatie is seeking a Curator of 19th- and 20th-Century Art to contribute to the museum's ambition of stimulating dialogue and offering new artistic perspectives across its two locations in Zwolle and Heino. The role sits within a dedicated team of curators, experts, educators, floor managers, and museum staff, and the museum explicitly describes itself as an open, engaged organization with room for initiative and personal growth.
The Curator will play a central role in the development of the museum's collection and exhibition programme, conducting scholarly research focused on 19th- and 20th-century art, and translating that research into exhibitions, publications, lectures, and related public programmes. The position shares responsibility for the stewardship, preservation, documentation, and interpretation of the collection, and contributes to a collection and exhibition strategy that embraces multiple perspectives and narratives. The museum notes that a background in arts or culture is not a strict prerequisite; what matters, per the source, is being energized by people and ideas and open to different perspectives.
The Role Overview
- Position Type: 36 hours per week
- Contract Type: One-year contract with the prospect of extension and permanent employment
- Salary: Scale 11 of the Dutch Museum Collective Labour Agreement (Museum CAO), commensurate with experience and qualifications; exact monthly amount not specified in the source
- Department / Programme: Curatorial team, Museum de Fundatie
- Working Hours: 36 hours per week
- Location: Zwolle / Heino (two sites: Museum de Fundatie in Zwolle and Kasteel het Nijenhuis in Heino)
Position & Tasks
- Play a central role in the development of Museum de Fundatie's collection and exhibition programme
- Conduct scholarly research on the collection, with a focus on 19th- and 20th-century art
- Conceive, develop, and oversee exhibitions, publications, lectures, and related public programmes
- Share responsibility for the stewardship, preservation, documentation, and interpretation of the collection
- Monitor developments in the field and contribute to discussions concerning acquisitions and collection development
- Build and maintain professional networks with artists, museums, researchers, collectors, and other stakeholders, both nationally and internationally
- Contribute to a collection and exhibition strategy that embraces multiple perspectives and narratives
- Collaborate closely with colleagues across the museum and actively contribute to the ongoing development of Museum de Fundatie
Categories
- Curatorial Practice
- Art History
- Museum Studies
- Collection Management
- Exhibition Making
- 19th- and 20th-Century Art
- Arts Administration
Eligibility
- Minimum of three years' relevant professional experience as a curator, assistant curator, or in a comparable role
- At least an MA degree (or equivalent) in Art History
- Demonstrated experience in research, exhibition-making, and publishing
- Strong knowledge of 19th- and 20th-century art, combined with a broad interest in current developments in the field
- Excellent organisational and communication skills
- Experience working in project-based environments and multidisciplinary teams
- Excellent command of English, written and spoken, required
- Willingness to acquire proficiency in Dutch within a reasonable timeframe (not required at the outset)
- No formal requirement to come from an arts or culture background; the museum states that curiosity, enthusiasm, and commitment matter more than a traditional arts background
Program Benefits
- Salary in accordance with Scale 11 of the Dutch Museum Collective Labour Agreement (Museum CAO), commensurate with experience and qualifications
- One-year contract with the prospect of extension and permanent employment
- Intellectually stimulating position within an ambitious and high-profile museum
- Opportunity to work with a collection of more than 16,000 artworks
- Inspiring working environment across two unique sites: Museum de Fundatie in Zwolle and Kasteel het Nijenhuis in Heino
- A dedicated team of colleagues who share a passion for art and culture
- Other specific benefits (health insurance, pension, leave entitlements, professional development budget, etc.) not specified in the source
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Resume / CV (PDF format)
- Cover letter (PDF format)
How to Apply?
Send resume and cover letter (PDF format) to vacature@museumdefundatie.nl, for the attention of Beatrice von Bormann, Managing Director
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 30 August 2026
- Interviews: 8 and 16 September 2026
Location
Zwolle and Heino, Netherlands
Additional Details
- For further information about the position, applicants are directed to contact the museum via the application e-mail address (vacature@museumdefundatie.nl).
- The source includes a first-person profile of the ideal candidate: an experienced and inquisitive curator specializing in 19th- and 20th-century art with a global perspective, dedicated to collections-based research and translating scholarly inquiry into engaging exhibitions and public narratives, and committed to collaboration, expanding perspectives, and accessibility within an inclusive, forward-thinking institutional vision.
- The museum describes its team as reflecting society broadly — varied ages, backgrounds, and experience levels, including staff who do not come from the arts or culture sector.