About the Museum
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Building and history
History of the building
The museum’s history begins in 1838, but the story of the building on Agnietenstraat goes back much further. We take you on a journey through convent halls, period rooms, stables, works of art and renovations. Discover how a medieval convent grew into a museum that brings together art, design, fashion and history from Utrecht.
From monastery to museum
The building that now houses the Centraal Museum began life as the Convent of St Agnes in 1422. Dedicated to Saint Agnes, the convent was part of a city filled with religious communities: in the late Middle Ages, Utrecht had around thirty monasteries and convents. The sisters lived largely secluded from the outside world. Their days were devoted to prayer, meditation, church services, manual labour, and work in and around the convent.
Remarkable parts of the original convent complex can still be found today. The Foyer, formerly the nuns’ refectory, is now part of the museum. Beneath it was the kitchen, which now houses the famous Utrecht ship. Above the Foyer was the dormitory; today, this is the Utrecht Lokaal. The attic of the convent is now home to the Dick Bruna Studio. In this way, the building’s medieval history can still be felt.
A building with many lives
After the Reformation, the monastery’s function gradually changed. Around 1600, no new sisters were admitted, while the last residents remained until about 1620. After that, various rooms were rented out. Artists and craftspeople were among those who worked there, and the Foyer was used as a banqueting hall. In 1636, a celebratory meal was even held here to mark the opening of the Utrecht Hoogeschool, which later became Utrecht University.
From 1674 onwards, the complex once again served a social purpose as the City Orphanage for Craftsmen's Children.
Children's Home, 1948
The chapel
The chapel has also been preserved. It is a double chapel—an architectural rarity due to its built-in upper floor. The lower chapel was intended for laypeople, while the upper chapel was reserved for the sisters. The chapel was founded by Henrick van Doesborch (died 1536), who was buried there.
built in 1516 and now part of the museum. The chapel recalls the monastery's history and Saint Agnes.
The Renswoude Foundation
In 1754, Maria Duyst van Voorhout, Lady of Renswoude, left funds in her will for a new building to be constructed to the left of the old convent. This Fundatie van Renswoude offered promising orphan boys training as surveyors or engravers. In 1761, the Fundatie opened its doors to its first nine élèves (as the pupils were known). To this day, the Fundatie continues to support young people pursuing exceptional educational programmes.
Military influence
In 1810, the orphanage was requisitioned by the French and converted into a military hospital. The children were housed in the former Pagehuis of King Louis Napoleon on Achter de Dom. Seven years later, the children were able to return to Agnietenstraat.
From 1813 onwards, the Convent of St Agnes was used as barracks, and the children were replaced by members of the country’s cavalry and their horses. However, orphans continued to live in the present-day office building (Agnietenstraat 1) until 1975.
In 1835, new horse stables were built along Utrecht’s city wall, replacing the stables that burned down in 1834.
The origins of the Centraal Museum
The museum’s history began in 1838, when the Municipal Museum of Antiquities opened in Utrecht City Hall. Its collection of objects, drawings and paintings all told something of Utrecht’s story. This makes the Centraal Museum the oldest municipal museum in the Netherlands.
The collection grew over the following decades. City archivist Samuel Muller played an important role in this. He dreamed of a single central museum that would bring together various collections from Utrecht. The former St Agnes Convent proved to be the perfect location.
On 1 August 1921, the Centraal Museum officially opened on Agnietenstraat. Its name reflects the idea behind the museum: a central place where art, history, fashion, design and the heritage of the city of Utrecht come together.
The Stables
In 1987, these stables were converted to a design by architect Mart van Schijndel and became part of the Centraal Museum's exhibition spaces.
We still call the exhibition spaces 'The Stables', a reference to the period when the complex was used as a barracks.