General press information
GENERAL DESCRIPTION VERMEER CENTRE DELFT
The name Johannes Vermeer is linked in many ways with Delft, the town where he was bron in 1632. He regularly visited the St. Lucas Guild, a society of artists and painters. On this historical location the Vermeer Centre Delft has been built. It welcomes over 25.000 tourists and art lovers yearly from the netherlands and abroad.
All paintings shown together
Vermeer made 45 paintings, several were lost. His now know oeuvre consists of 36 paintings. In the Netherlands, 3 paintings are shown in the Mauritshuis in The Hague; 4 paintings in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The Vermeer Centre Delft is the only “museum” in the world where reproductions of all paintings on true scale can bes een.
Visual discovery journey
In the unique Vermeer Centre Delft, visitors make a visual journey through the life, work and town of the 17th century arts master. A visit starts in the cellar, where reproductions of all paintings are shown in chronological order. The first floor is decorated as his atelier, where visitors discover the way Vermeer worked and his love for light, composition and colour. The 2nd floor shows the temporary exhibition “Love messages from Vermeer”. That shows what hidden signs Vermeer has made in his paintings around the theme of love.
Education
Education plays an important role in the Vermeer Centre. Guided tours are offered in 8 languages (only available after reservation, max. 20 persons). Costs are € 50,00. The duration is one hour. The tours can be tailored to the needs and knowledge of the group. On each Sunday at 10.30 a free english guided tour is offered in the Vermeer Centre. Visitors only pay the normal entrance fee.
For children until 10 years special discovery tours are available. The Vermeer Centre also offers english information for school purposes. The website www.vermeerdelft.nl also shows information that can be used by children for assignments and class speeches.
Entrance fees and opening hours
The Vermeer Centre Delft, Voldersgracht 21 te Delft, is open daily from Monday till Sunday from 10 am till 5 pm. Entrance fee for the whole centre is € 6,00 for adults. Children (7 up and including 14 years), students and groups of minimum 15 persons pay € 4,00 per person. Further information see www.vermeerdelft.nl. The shop and the Mechelen café on the ground floor can be visited free of charge.
Combiticket
The new combiticket brings visitors to all places where Vermeer has lived and worked and offers access to the Vermeer Centre Delft, Nieuwe Kerk, Oude Kerk (new and old church) and the Prinsenhof Museum. Costs are € 13,50, including coffee and cake in café Mechelen at the Vermeer Centre. A map for the walk is also included. The Combiticket can be purchased at the Tourism Information Point, Hippolytusbuurt 4.
Meeting rooms and functions
The ground flour, cellar and 2nd floor of the Vermeer Centre Delft can be hired for functions with a special ambiance. Meetings for small groups up to 12 persons are also possible. For more information, see www.vermeerdelft.nl.