Showing 1-15 of 15 results
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Aboriginal Art Museum
A bit of a surprise in Utrecht, the Aboriginal Art Museum, devoted to contemporary Australian Aboriginal art, is sure to delight those bored with Rembrandt and Van Gogh.
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Centraal Museum
The Centraal Museum has a wide-ranging collection. It displays applied arts dating back to the 17th century as well as paintings by some of the Utrecht School artists, and a bit of De Stijl to boot - including the world's most extensive Gerrit Rietveld collection, a wet dream for minimalists everywhere. There's even a 12th-century Viking longboat that was dug out of the local mud, plus a sumptuous 17th-century dollhouse.
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Dick Bruna Huis
One of Utrecht's favourite sons, Dick Bruna, is honoured at the Dick Bruna Huis. Bruna is the creator of beloved cartoon rabbit Miffy and she naturally takes pride of place, along with an extensive overview of Bruna's career: everything from the book covers he designed for the family publishing company to multimedia demonstrations of his technique and philosophy. Obviously children will get a huge kick out of it all, but so will adults who appreciate superlative graphic design.
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Domkerk
Finished in the 14th century, the cathedral and its tower (Domtoren) are the most striking medieval landmarks in a city that once had 40 cathedrals. In 1674 the North Sea winds reached hurricane force and blew down the cathedral's nave, leaving the tower and transept behind. There is a row of paving stones that mark the extents of the nave - across this extent is the Domkerk, the surviving chancel of the cathedral, with a few tombs within.
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Domtoren
The Domtoren is 112m high, with 465 steps and 50 bells. Its a tough haul to the top but well worth the exertion given that the tower gives unbeatable city views; on a clear day you can see Amsterdam. The guided tour, in Dutch and English, is detailed and gives privileged insight into this beautiful structure.
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Museum Het Catharijneconvent
The Museum Het Catharijneconvent has the finest collection of medieval religious art in the Netherlands - virtually the history of Christianity, in fact - housed in a Gothic former convent and an 18th-century canalside house. All but the most jaded art-lover will marvel at the many beautiful illuminated manuscripts, carvings and robes. Allow about 1½ hours here to digest it all. Bus 2 from Centraal Station (CS) passes the front entrance.
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Museum voor het Kruideniersbedrijf
The Museum voor het Kruideniersbedrijf, a charming replica of an old grocery store, isn't really a museum per se. It's more like a sweetshop, but what the hey, you'll love it anyway. Upstairs are original cans and packages of yesteryear (the 'museum' bit); downstairs are lovely ladies in old-time aprons selling sweets and tea in decorative containers. As far as souvenirs go, it'll beat your umpteenth clog. Pick up a block of white liquorice candy to add to hot milk - an old Dutch tradition.
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Nationaal Museum van Speelklok tot Pierement
The Nationaal Museum van Speelklok tot Pierement has a colourful collection of musical machines from the 18th century onwards. These are demonstrated with gusto during hourly tours. Most impressive are the street and fairground organs from around Europe including gargantuan burping contraptions fashioned by the Belgian master organ-builder, Mortier.
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Nederlands Spoorwegmuseum
The Nederlands Spoorwegmuseum features historic locomotives in an old station building; a high-speed minitrain takes kids around the grounds. To get there, take bus 3 from CS to Maliebaan and walk east for about five minutes.
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Nederlands Waterleidingmuseum
Spread throughout the various levels of an old water tower, the Nederlands Waterleidingmuseum takes a good, hard look at what happens to water before and after humans use it. There's even a big, blown-up photo of a sexy babe bathing (well, it is water-related). The tower itself is ancient and fascinating and provides good views.
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Oudegracht
Scene of many a wedding photo, the photogenic bend in the Oudegracht is illuminated by lamplight in the evening; hundreds sit outside cafés here by day. South of this point is where the canal is at its most evocative, and the streets are quieter, stretching 1km to the southern tip of the old town.
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Pieterskerk
Walk down Voetiusstraat from behind the cathedral to Pieterskerk, built in 1048 and the oldest Romanesque church in the Netherlands. Much damage was caused during the storm in 1674 and again during a dodgy 1965 restoration. Opening hours are sporadic but try visiting on Friday or Saturday.
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Rietveld-Schröderhuis
Located just out of the city, the Rietveld-Schröderhuis is a Unesco-protected landmark built in 1924 by Utrecht architect Gerrit Rietveld. Inside and out, the entire structure conforms to the principles of De Stijl architecture - this is the only house in the world that can make this claim. Only six colours are used: red, blue, yellow, white, grey and black. The 'form follows function' concept has been faithfully adhered to, as even the interior walls can be moved to alter the floor plan.
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Universiteitsmuseum
The Universiteitsmuseum is a mixed bag - and that's the 'toof'! There's a re-created late-19th-century classroom, historic dentistry tools ('Is it safe?') and way too many models of medical maladies. You can find refuge out the back in De Oude Hortus, the old botanical garden, along with all the other dentophobes, who'll be quivering amid venerable trees and plants collected by the Dutch during their world exploits. The garden is an oasis of calm, sheltering numerous rare flowers and plants like the ancient Gingko biloba tree.
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Utrecht University Ceremonial Buildings
The 19th-century buildings on the western side of Domplein are the ceremonial buildings of Utrecht University, surrounding the old church chapterhouse where the treaty of Utrecht was signed in 1579. The Treaty formed a military alliance of the northern provinces.
Showing 1-15 of 15 results
