Visiting the Van Gogh Museum is almost a must for anyone passing through Amsterdam. You know that conversation that has almost become a cliché?
-I was in City X recently.
-Oh, did you visit the Y museum?
-No, I couldn’t fit it into my itinerary.
-Well, you can’t say you’ve been to city X.
Every city has its landmarks that seem "mandatory" to check off the list. Like it or not, that’s just how things are. But in my opinion, what's even more exciting than following everyone else's list is discovering something new and unexpected. Don't get me wrong—famous attractions are renowned for a reason: they are worth visiting. This is especially true for the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, which holds the largest collection of works by the iconic Dutch artist.
However, if you're looking for something different and equally impressive, I suggest discovering the Kröller-Müller Museum, located in De Hoge Veluwe National Park, about 1.5 hours from Amsterdam. It offers that special feeling of uncovering something precious that mass tourism hasn’t yet overtaken everyone else's list. There, you'll find the second-largest collection of Van Gogh's works and be surprised by a fascinating story behind the museum’s creation—a story I confess I didn’t know until my first visit and that I now share with you.
The Woman Behind the Museum: Helene Kröller-Müller
Helene Kröller-Müller was a German woman born in 1869 into a prosperous industrial family. Her father, Wilhelm Müller, owned the company Wm. H. Müller & Co., which supplied raw materials to mining industries.
Helene didn’t have much contact with the art world during her childhood, but she was a bright and curious girl. For instance, at 14 years old, she began questioning God and religious beliefs. Around this same time, she discovered the ideas of the Dutch philosopher Spinoza, whose work inspired her personal motto: Spiritus et Materia Unum—spirit and matter are one.
In 1888, following her father’s wishes, Helene married a Dutchman, Anton Kröller, who worked for her father’s company. The young couple settled in Rotterdam and had four children.
The Beginning of an Artistic Passion
Helene Kröller-Müller was one of the most successful women in the Netherlands when, in 1905, she decided to accompany her daughter, Helene Jr., to art lessons with the teacher Henk Bremmer. Bremmer was instrumental in introducing Helene to modern art. She most likely became enamored with the art world because she found in it the spirituality she couldn’t absorb from religion. The first artwork she purchased, under Bremmer’s guidance—who later became the mentor of her entire collection—was It Comes From Afar by Paul Gabriël.
The Discovery of Van Gogh
Helene was one of the first to recognize the genius of Vincent van Gogh. In 1908, 18 years after the artist died in poverty, she purchased her first Van Gogh paintings: Edge of a Wood and Four Sunflowers Gone to Seed. One year later, she acquired The Sower (after Millet).
WW1: Desire to Help and Growth of the Collection
World War I ignited in Helene an enormous desire to help. In 1914, she decided to go to Liège, where she worked as a nurse and cared for thousands of soldiers at the L’Hôpital des Anglais.
Meanwhile, the war brought significant profits to the Müller & Co., allowing Helene to purchase even more artwork. During this period, one of her favorites was Renoir’s Clown.
The Seed of a Museum is Planted
In June 1910, on a trip to Florence, Helene visited the Palazzo Vecchio—the Medici family's residence. The Medicis, originally a non-noble family, became patrons of the arts during the Renaissance (15th and 16th centuries), supporting artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, and played a significant role in Florentine politics.
Seeing the Medici family’s legacy made Helene question what her own contribution to the world would be, and that’s when she decided to create a museum. In 1913, part of her collection was opened to the public at the Kröller Museum in The Hague.
Building a Legacy: The Kröller-Müller Museum
In 1921, Helene asked the Flemish architect Henry van de Velde to design a museum at her country estate, which is now part of De Hoge Veluwe National Park in the Netherlands. Van de Velde was a prominent figure in the Art Nouveau movement and later became involved in the development of functionalism in design. His visionary approach organically blended art and architecture, focusing on functionality and the simplicity of forms. His contribution to the design of the Kröller-Müller Museum was essential in creating a space that not only housed Helene's collection but also reflected the aesthetic values of the early 20th century.
The foundations were laid in 1921, but the bankruptcy of Müller & Co. and the subsequent financial crisis interrupted her plans. As a result, in 1928, Anton and Helene established the Kröller-Müller Foundation to protect their collection and properties.
A Pledge for Help
Despite her failing health, Helene remained determined to build her museum. She reached out to the Dutch Minister of Education, Arts, and Science and pleaded for an audience. She managed to convince him to help her with the museum’s construction. In 1935, the Kröllers donated their entire collection to the Dutch state, with the only condition being that the museum be built on the grounds of their park. Even with her deteriorating health and advanced age, Helene visited the construction site daily to oversee the workers.
Under the care of the Dutch government, the Kröller-Müller Museum opened in 1938. Shortly after, in December 1939, Helene Kröller-Müller became gravely ill. She passed away on December 14, surrounded by her loved ones.