Dutch history accessible to a young audience
Imagine a place where you can travel through time and learn all about the history of the Netherlands. That is exactly what the Canon of the Netherlands at the Open Air Museum in Arnhem does. We developed this exhibition together with Kossman de Jong and Redrum. Step back in time and explore 10 time periods, from hunebedden to today. You see everything through the eyes of people who were there themselves. What was it like for a child to work in a factory? And how did people get food in World War II? You discover it by doing, feeling, watching and playing. We made 25 games and interactive installations, a life-size Canon wall and three Panorama films.
History boring? No way! The Canon makes it an exciting adventure. Especially for children: it is specially made to bring stories from our history to life for this target group. The Canon is gaining international recognition. In 2018, it won the International Award at the Museums + Heritage Awards for Excellence, a prestigious award in the museum world. The jury called the Canon of the Netherlands ‘a brilliant example of interpretation’. The Canon also won a silver European Design Award thanks to its ‘exceptional and original design’.