Colorful tile panels and contemporary ceramics
Five centuries of art, culture and history come together in a seemingly ordinary product, the tile, at Het Nederlands Tegelmuseum. The Netherlands has a unique place in the history of tiles, tile panels and ceramics. Admire the largest and most varied Dutch collection of wall tiles and tile panels in the world, dating from the late Middle Ages to the present, in Het Nederlands Tegelmuseum.
From interior decoration to works of art
Marvel at the impressive tile panels that adorned palaces, churches, schools, shops and homes for centuries, in a wide variety of styles, from Dutch Renaissance to baroque, and from Art Nouveau and Art Deco to works of art by M.C. Escher and Karel Appel.
Tiles in the Netherlands
Hand-made tiles were still a common phenomenon in houses and buildings in the Netherlands only a couple of decades ago. The tradition of using tiles and tile tableaux is quickly disappearing. Het Nederlands Tegelmuseum is ensuring that this tradition is not lost. The depictions on the tiles provide information on what daily life used to be like, and on changing fashion over the years.
Tile production process
Take a look at the pictures, machines, tools, and materials and discover how tiles used to be produced.
Helene Kröller-Müller room
Helene Kröller-Müller (1869-1939) is world-famous for the impressive collection of modern art that she assembled at the start of twentieth century. However, many don’t know that she also assembled a collection of Delftware, which includes a series of historic wall tiles from Delft manufacturers. She started this collection before her focus shifted to visual art. Some of her tile collection is on display in the Helene Kröller-Müller room. The Kröller-Müller Museum has loaned the tiles long-term to the Netherlands Tile Museum for their exhibition.
