Rijksmuseum to Open New Sculpture Garden with €60M Donation

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is launching a new public sculpture garden called the Don Quixote Pavilion and Garden, thanks to an impressive €60 million donation from the Don Quixote Foundation, which is the largest private gift the museum has ever received. This garden will feature works from famous artists like Alberto Giacometti, Louise Bourgeois, and Alexander Calder, along with rotating exhibitions. Located where Boerenwetering, Ruysdaelkade, and Stadhouderskade meet, it will transform three existing pavilions in the Amsterdam School style, designed by Foster + Partners, with landscaping by Piet Blanckaert, adding 22 new trees and local plants. Entry will be free for everyone. Rolly van Rappard, co-founder of CVC and head of the foundation, has supported the museum since 2013, including a €12.5 million gift in 2023 for the Don Quixote Sculpture Hall. Additionally, a new branch in Eindhoven is slated to open in six to eight years. Director Taco Dibbits called the donation a significant moment for enhancing modern sculpture and expanding the 20th-century collection.