Building the Future: Inside the Tadao Ando Extension Project at the Kröller-Müller Museum

The Tadao Ando Extension Project is reshaping how visitors experience the Kröller-Müller Museum—adding a new entrance, expanded exhibition space, and welcoming amenities that match the museum’s international stature. If you’ve ever found galleries busy, wished for more of the collection to be on view, or longed for smoother group visits, this project is designed to meet those needs while preserving the museum’s unique harmony of art, nature, and architecture.

What is the Tadao Ando Extension Project?

The Tadao Ando Extension Project is the museum’s planned building expansion—explored since 2018 with Japanese architect Tadao Ando—to enhance visitor experience and bring all facilities to the desired level. The plan prioritizes:

• A new, eye-catching entrance with the allure and facilities of an international art museum
• More space for the presentation of the collection and temporary exhibitions
• New, well-equipped and hospitable public amenities, such as a restaurant and shop

Why the museum needs more space now

For decades, the museum has grown its collection and programming, but space has not kept pace.

• The museum pursues an active and ambitious exhibition policy, yet lacks a separate exhibition space. Temporary exhibitions must take place in the Quist wing.
• As a result, much of the collection assembled after Helene Kröller-Müller cannot be displayed consistently, and parts of the collection remain in storage due to lack of space.
• Current public facilities are too small and of insufficient quality to meet modern expectations for amenities such as catering and a museum shop.
• Interest from schools and tour groups is high, but there are no dedicated rooms to receive groups, and accommodating several groups at once is not feasible—detracting from the experience for other visitors.

In short, the extension ensures the museum can continue to share its full story—historic to contemporary—without compromise.

Architecture in dialogue: Ando, Van de Velde, and Quist

The Kröller-Müller Museum’s architectural ensemble is already renowned:

• The original building by Henry van de Velde (opened 1938) offers intimate proportions and soft overhead light.
• The 1970s wing by Wim Quist—transparent and open to the landscape—enabled presentation of minimal and conceptual art, land art, and arte povera as successors to the original collection.

Tadao Ando’s approach harmonizes with this legacy. Known for sober materials and meticulous detailing, his design respects the existing buildings. The view of both the Van de Velde and Quist buildings remains fully intact, as does their functionality. Given the museum’s location in a nature reserve, the extension will largely be realized underground—connecting to its surroundings through openings and the entry of light.

“In paintings, clouds are often portrayed as an element to connect the earth and the heavenly world. I believe that this cloud-like architecture will unite the everyday world and the paradise of art and nature.” — Tadao Ando

What visitors can expect from the extension

The Tadao Ando Extension Project focuses on enhancing every step of the visitor journey:

• Arrival: A striking new entrance that signals the museum’s international identity and streamlines arrival.
• Discovery: Additional space to present the collection—especially works acquired since the Second World War—alongside full-sized galleries for temporary exhibitions.
• Comfort: Well-equipped, hospitable amenities, including a restaurant and shop, designed for quality and ease.

These improvements bring the museum’s infrastructure in line with its artistic ambition, strengthening its distinctiveness and positioning among leading museums worldwide.

Project timeline at a glance

• Construction start: 2027 (expected)
• Projected completion: 2030/2031 (hoped)
• Access during construction: The museum’s collection and the sculpture garden will remain accessible during the construction period.

The design team behind the build

Delivering a complex, largely underground museum extension requires specialist expertise. The project team includes:

• Tadao Ando Architect & Associates — Architectural collaboration
• MVSA Architects — Further development of the design
• Van Rossum Raadgevende Ingenieurs — Structural engineering
• Valstar Simonis — Technical installations design
• DGMR — Consultancy for building physics, fire safety, acoustics, and sustainability
• ToornendPartners — Project management with the museum

How the extension strengthens the museum’s story

The extension is not merely a new wing—it’s a curatorial enabler. With dedicated exhibition spaces, the museum can:

• Present the collection acquired since the Second World War alongside historic strengths, creating a cohesive narrative from the 19th and 20th centuries into the contemporary era.
• Host temporary exhibitions in full-sized galleries without displacing core displays.
• Offer visitors a clearer, more continuous journey through movements such as De Stijl and Futurism, and deepen encounters with masters like Vincent van Gogh and Piet Mondriaan highlighted in the museum’s collection.

For context and deeper reading, explore related topics such as Architecture, About the collection, the Van Gogh Gallery, and the outdoor experience of the Rietveld Pavilion in the sculpture garden.

Visiting during construction

Planning a visit in the coming years? Good news: the museum’s collection and sculpture garden will remain accessible throughout construction. That means you can enjoy the galleries and the renowned outdoor spaces while the Tadao Ando Extension Project takes shape. The museum continues to develop an ambitious program of exhibitions and presentations, ensuring a rewarding experience each time you visit.

Practical takeaways

• What’s changing: A new entrance, expanded exhibition space, and upgraded amenities (restaurant and shop).
• Why it matters: More of the collection on view, better conditions for temporary exhibitions, and improved visitor comfort.
• Key design principles: Harmony with existing buildings, underground integration sensitive to the nature reserve, and spaces animated by light.
• Timeline: Construction expected to begin in 2027 and hoped to complete by 2030/2031.
• Open during works: The collection and sculpture garden remain accessible during construction.
• Who’s involved: Tadao Ando Architect & Associates, MVSA Architects, Van Rossum Raadgevende Ingenieurs, Valstar Simonis, DGMR, and ToornendPartners.

FAQs

When will construction begin and end?

Construction of the extension is expected to start in 2027, with completion hoped for in 2030/2031.

Will the museum stay open during construction?

Yes. The museum’s collection and sculpture garden will remain accessible during the construction period.

Why is much of the extension underground?

Partly because of the museum’s location in a nature reserve, the extension will largely be realized underground. Even underground, Ando’s architecture connects to the surroundings through openings and light.

Who is on the project team?

MVSA Architects is further developing the design in close collaboration with Tadao Ando Architect & Associates. Van Rossum Raadgevende Ingenieurs is the structural engineer; Valstar Simonis designs the technical installations; DGMR advises on building physics, fire safety, acoustics, and sustainability; ToornendPartners manages the project with the museum.

Conclusion

The Tadao Ando Extension Project will elevate every aspect of a museum visit—welcoming you through a bold new entrance, revealing more of the collection in dedicated galleries, and providing the amenities a world-class institution requires. Rooted in architectural sensitivity to site and history, the extension strengthens the museum’s place among leading cultural destinations.

Ready to experience what’s on now—and see the transformation unfold? Plan your visit to the Kröller-Müller Museum, explore the sculpture garden and the Rietveld Pavilion, and discover more in Architecture and About the collection. We look forward to welcoming you today and again when the new spaces open.