Holland America announces partnership with Rijksmuseum

Holland America Line has revealed a new partnership with the Rijksmuseum, the most popular museum in Holland.

The new programme, called Rijksmuseum at Sea, will see copies of the museum’s most famous pieces displayed on board Holland America ships, lectures by Rijksmuseum staff on select cruises and guided art workshops.

Rijksmuseum at Sea will be first featured on Oosterdam, after being installed during an April 2016 drydock by Rijksstudio, before being moved fleetwide over the coming years.

Guests will be able to view videos about the museum and its collections on the in-stateroom television and have the opportunity to purchase special branded Rijksmuseum merchandise in the onboard shops.

“Great works of art have always been the centerpiece of our onboard décor, and we’re excited that this partnership with Rijksmuseum will add some spectacular reproductions to our collection of more than 1,300 pieces fleetwide,” said Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line’s president. “Through art, like travel, we see things differently; we open our eyes to the world around us and see things we may never have experienced before.”

“Both Rijksmuseum and Holland America Line are historic brands with proud Dutch heritage. We’re grateful that through our new partnership, Holland America guests from around the world will be able to experience our impressive collection at the Rijksmuseum at Sea, created by Rijksstudio,” said Wim Pijbes, general director of the Rijksmuseum.

Rijksmuseum was founded in The Hague, the Netherlands, in 1800 and today hosts nearly 2.5 million visitors per year.

The museum has a collection of a million objects dating back to 1200, with 8,000 works currently on display. Guests visiting the museum can see masterpieces by Dutch painters including Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer and Jan Steen.