Museum Het Valkhof

Museum Het Valkhof is the main museum of Nijmegen, and it stands on the edge of the Valkhof park, high above the Waal river, on the site of the old imperial castle. The building was designed by the architect Ben van Berkel and opened in 1998, and its low, modern shape, with a long glass-fronted gallery facing the river, is a deliberate contrast with the ancient setting. Nijmegen claims to be the oldest city in the Netherlands, with a history that goes back to Roman times, and the museum is the place to explore that long story together with art.

The collection is divided into two main parts. The archaeological section deals with the Roman period, when the settlement of Noviomagus was one of the most important towns in the northern part of the empire. It includes weapons, tools, jewellery, pottery and coins, among them gold coins, as well as the famous finds from the military camps and cemeteries of the area, and the helmets and ceremonial items of Roman soldiers. The museum also shows material from later periods, including the medieval Valkhof, the castle where Charlemagne and later emperors stayed, whose chapel survives in the park outside.

The art section covers a range of periods. There is Dutch painting, including a canvas by Jan van Goyen of 1641 showing a view of the Valkhof castle in Nijmegen from the north-west, which is a rare picture of the castle before its destruction, and the collection also includes modern and contemporary work by Dutch artists, which gives a counterpoint to the historical pieces. Temporary exhibitions are held regularly, and they often combine archaeology and art in thoughtful ways.

A visit usually takes two to three hours, and the museum is normally open from late morning to late afternoon, though hours vary and should be checked, and it is closed on some days. After the museum, the park is a pleasant place to walk, with views over the Waal and the remains of the Valkhof, including the twelfth-century chapel of St Nicholas, and the old city centre is a short walk away, with the Stevenskerk, the Lange Hezelstraat and the Mariënburgkapel.

The museum suits history lovers, families and art fans. It combines well with a stroll through the oldest quarter of the city, and it is easy to reach on foot from the railway station in about fifteen minutes.