Facing the storm
Mauritshuis, The Hague (NL), 2025
How do you, as a museum, convey a complex story about your own wartime past to an audience of locals, children and seasoned culture enthusiasts? The Mauritshuis asked Studio Louter and OPERA Amsterdam to help think this through. This finally resulted in the compelling exhibition ‘Facing the Storm’.
Museum in wartime
The Second World War marks a remarkable chapter in the history of the Mauritshuis. Thanks to a vigilant director and dedicated staff, the artworks were brought to safety in time. The museum found itself in the lion’s den, surrounded by various Nazi offices around the Binnenhof. Under pressure from the occupying forces, German propaganda also found its way into the Mauritshuis.
Shaping the story
Studio Louter helped the museum team transform this complex history into an accessible and compelling narrative. During a Pressure Cooker Session in collaboration with OPERA Amsterdam, we developed the concept ‘Facing the Storm’, which defined the exhibition’s tone of voice. To shape the storyline, we applied our emotion design method to select the right perspectives and craft a dynamic, engaging narrative structure.
Engaging different audiences
In addition, we selected formats that matched the museum’s target audiences: residents of The Hague, the ‘classic Mauritshuis visitor’ with a museum card and children aged ten to fourteen. For the latter group, we developed a dedicated programme in the form of an interactive journal, allowing children to experience the war through the eyes of Menno, a boy who lived in the Mauritshuis during the war.
Photos by Mike Bink and the Mauritshuis
Credits
Client
MauritshuisContent Design
Studio LouterSpatial & Graphic Design
OPERA Amsterdam