Wonderkamers [Wonder Rooms] at the Gemeentemuseum The Hague is entirely refurbished with a
new concept and design. After seven years of intensive use of Europe’s first youth museum,
located in a special exhibition wing, it was time for a revamp.
The basis has remained the same: young people can explore in a playful way how art can
surprise and enrich us. What is innovative is that interactivity plays an integral part.
Wonderkamers makes a fresh start through an approach in which the visitor lands in a
story, and is given the role of curator in the overall ‘museum game’. Like real curators,
the participants will be tested on their knowledge, creativity, and alertness.
The Wonderkamers’ floor plan, which comprises 13 rooms surrounding a central art depot,
with at its centre the Miniature Museum, transforms during the game into a spatial and
interactive board game. Using a special tablet, ‘the wonder guide’, visitors navigate
through the rooms in which the game is being played.
Every room has been designed around a different theme: a little wonder world where every
game connects the teenagers with art, architecture, fashion or design on a joyful and
interactive way. They can for example dance the Boogie Woogie together with Mondrian, take
part in a fashion show, build a museum building like Berlage did, zoom in on details of
paintings, learn how to determine the value of artworks.
The better visitors do the tests, the more points they gather, with which they can start
to develop their art collection, and which they eventually put on display virtually in its
own room in the Miniature Museum. This spectacular museum, which has its own miniature art
collection, was specifically developed for the new Wonderkamers. To conclude the visit,
the museum room will be officially inaugurated.
Kossmanndejong is an Amsterdam-based design studio specialised in exhibition design and interior architecture. With 25 years of experience, our portfolio includes over 80 projects worldwide, ranging from temporary and permanent exhibitions for museums to visitor centers, historic sites, brand experiences and engaging interiors. Through a combination of different media and collaboration across disciplines, we aim to design meaningful, narrative spaces that inspire visitors, appeal emotionally and provide lasting experiences.
- Council of Europe Museum Prize 2019 for Museum fur Kommunikation Bern
- European Design award 2019 for FAKE. The Whole Truth
- Grand Prix 2019 for National Maritime Museum of Iceland
- Museums + Heritage Award 2018
- Interior Design Firm of the Year 2017 from the American Architecture Prize
- Project of Influence 2017 for Micropia
- European Design Award 2017 for Offshore Experience
- Kenneth Hudson Award 2016 for Micropia
- Themed Entertainment Award for Outstanding Achievement 2014 for Wonderkamers
- SEGD Global Design Award 2014 for Longing for Mecca
- several International Design & Communication Awards