Research to increase knowledge about the Nationalmuseum's treasures
The strength of the Nationalmuseum lies in the wealth of its collections and the erudition and expertise of its staff. It is important to enable its curators, conservators and educational experts to enhance their study of the collections and to develop methods that will help to extend the sum of knowledge about the works they contain.
Research projects
In 1997 a special department was established with the task of organising research and development work at the Nationalmuseum. This is organised on a project basis and each project has its own budget. The projects involve both external and in-house researchers. The research projects are discussed at seminars to which students from university departments of art history are invited. In the main this research is subject specific but some projects involve art education and research in the natural sciences.
Funding
Research is mainly funded from external sources. Research scholarships established by the Friends of the Nationalmuseum enable its professional staff to study the collections in greater depth. It is hoped for the future that some benevolent donor will contribute capital that will make it possible to set up a fund to be used for the museum's research activities. Competition for external funding is continually intensifying.
Dutch and Flemish Paintings III, 2010
Publications
As research projects result in publications of various kinds – for instance catalogues of collections, catalogues raisonnés and exhibition catalogues – a publications department is part of the research department. Its brochure Art Books lists all the works published by the Nationalmuseum.