Centraal Museum

The Centraal Museum is the municipal museum of Utrecht, and it is one of the oldest in the country. It occupies a complex that includes a former convent, the Agnietenklooster, whose medieval walls and courtyard stand beside modern extensions, and the combination of old and new makes the building a point of interest in itself. The museum presents the art and history of the city from the Middle Ages to the present, and it also has a strong link to design, in particular the work of two famous local figures.

The art collection begins with medieval objects, including sculpture, panels and goldsmith work from the time when Utrecht was the religious capital of the northern Netherlands. In the seventeenth century, the city had its own school of painters known as the Utrecht Caravaggisti, who had travelled to Italy and absorbed the dramatic lighting of Caravaggio's work and brought it home. Gerard van Honthorst, whose scenes of candlelit revellers and religious subjects earned him the nickname Gerrit of the Nights, is the best known, and the museum shows his work alongside that of his contemporaries such as Hendrick ter Brugghen. Their paintings are vivid and theatrical, and they show a different side of Dutch Golden Age art from the calm interiors of Delft.

Design and modern art are the other strength. The museum has a notable collection devoted to Dick Bruna, the Utrecht-born artist who created Miffy, known in Dutch as Nijntje, the small white rabbit with a simple face that is loved by children around the world. Bruna's drawings, book covers and posters are shown in a way that reveals the discipline behind the apparent simplicity of his style. The museum also holds works connected with Gerrit Rietveld, the architect and furniture designer, and it manages the Rietveld Schröder House, a landmark of modern architecture on the edge of the city that is on the UNESCO World Heritage list and can be visited by appointment.

Temporary exhibitions cover art, fashion, design and the history of Utrecht, and a museum cafe offers a place to rest. The museum is accessible, with facilities for wheelchair users, and maps are available at the desk. Prices, opening days and special arrangements for students and young visitors are given on the website, and the museum is usually closed on Mondays and on a few public holidays.

The museum is within walking distance of the Dom Tower and Dom Church, and the canals are close. It suits art lovers, families and design fans. Allow two hours, and consider combining it with a visit to the Rietveld Schröder House for a full picture of the city's creative side.