In and around Stadskasteel Zaltbommel, stories are everywhere—about the beautiful 16th-century building and its striking builder, the military commander Maarten van Rossum. There are also chronicles aplenty about the city and region, from prehistory to today. Visitors can now discover all these stories in a partly renewed museum—complete with SDB display cases.
Roland Gieles has been curator at Stadskasteel Zaltbommel for five years. He is responsible for the collection, the curatorial program, and the exhibitions. The museum’s reconfiguration is part of that remit. “The premises were dated, and the presentation was unstructured,” Roland says. “Yet the history is so rich that we could turn it into a beautiful timeline. So that’s exactly what we set out to do. The ground floor is now complete.”
Closer alignment
Mammoths, Celts, Romans, Franks, the people of Guelders, and today’s Dutch—since the extensive renovation they now appear in chronological order, with all highlights spotlighted. “This lets us align much better with the present day and our audience’s expectations,” Roland explains. “After all, most of our visitors are day-trippers.”
“The museum looks a thousand times better.”
“As part of the reconfiguration, new display cases were of course a must,” the curator continues. “We wanted a few standard table display cases and bespoke wall cases—several meters long and tall, with full glass shelves. I found SDB online and was quickly convinced, especially by the impressive list of references, including a similar project in Delft.”
Satisfied
The museum is now running at full speed again, and Roland looks back on our collaboration with satisfaction. “Communication was pleasant from the start. SDB is realistic, thinks proactively, and acts quickly. I never had to wait long for action or a response. I’m also very pleased with the end result: the museum looks a thousand times better. The contrast between the historic architecture and the modern interior is especially successful. On to the upper floor!”
“I can even see the impact on our visitors—the people we’re doing all this for,” Roland concludes. “People look and read much more attentively. Our showpieces, including a 15th-century Bible, now truly come into their own—in a new display case, on a new plinth. Wonderful!”
