Known predominantly for its De Stijl exhibit, this museum is housed in an unusual art deco building designed by HP Berlage. It opened in 1935. The De Stijl exhibit suffers from an overemphasis on unremarkable pre–De Stijl paintings by Piet Mondrian, but the major drawcard, his unfinished Victory Boogie Woogie (1942–44), is an undoubted masterpiece. Upstairs, the 'Discover the Modern' exhibit includes Egon Schiele's exquisite Portrait of Edith (1915) among early-20th-century works by Van Gogh, Picasso, Kandinsky and others.
Other attractions include the elegant Dijsselhof Room, a fine example of Nieuwe Kunst, the Dutch form of art nouveau. Children will be engaged by the 'Wonder Kamers' exhiibit in the basement, an interactive experience in which they can play games, watch films and explore objects in a huge glass case of miniatures.
