Opening
2022
Exhibition Concept
Travel back to the time of the T. rex! The Rexperience offers a unique journey to 66 million years ago. Step into the futuristic travel agency, enter the space capsule, and embark on an unforgettable time travel adventure. Guided by tour leader Dave, you’ll smoothly journey back in time… But watch out for that meteorite! This experience blends light, sound, and special effects to bring the story to life.
The Rexperience is a special add-on experience during your visit to Naturalis. The iconic skeleton of T. rex Trix can also be visited without a Rexperience ticket in the “Dinosaur Era” exhibition hall.
The Rexperience includes shock, motion, and light effects, and is suitable for children aged 8 and up. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Review / Article
Both the design and execution processes are highly complex due to the holistic concept, where every 5 minutes, 25 visitors are guided through a fully automated experiential journey. Light, design, animatronics, film, decor, and effects work seamlessly together to complete the experience.
Set Design
Spectacular time travel to the Cretaceous
Opening
2022
Exhibition Concept
Travel back to the time of the T. rex! The Rexperience offers a unique journey to 66 million years ago. Step into the futuristic travel agency, enter the space capsule, and embark on an unforgettable time travel adventure. Guided by tour leader Dave, you’ll smoothly journey back in time… But watch out for that meteorite! This experience blends light, sound, and special effects to bring the story to life.
The Rexperience is a special add-on experience during your visit to Naturalis. The iconic skeleton of T. rex Trix can also be visited without a Rexperience ticket in the “Dinosaur Era” exhibition hall.
The Rexperience includes shock, motion, and light effects, and is suitable for children aged 8 and up. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Review / Article
Both the design and execution processes are highly complex due to the holistic concept, where every 5 minutes, 25 visitors are guided through a fully automated experiential journey. Light, design, animatronics, film, decor, and effects work seamlessly together to complete the experience.
Set Design
Spectacular time travel to the Cretaceous
Premiere
December 1, 2019
Synopsis
The red-haired orphan Annie returns in a new production by Theateralliantie and Mark Vijn Theaterproductions, returning to the origins of Annie in Harold Lincoln Gray’s comic strip.
Annie lives in an orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan, until millionaire Oliver Warbucks chooses her to spend Christmas with him. Warbucks initiates a search for Annie’s parents, leading to unexpected twists and colorful characters.
Set Design
Drawn sets and comic colors
Direction
Pim Veulings
Cast
Willemijn Verkaik: Miss Hannigan
Edwin Jonker: Oliver ‘Daddy’ Warbucks
Doris Baaten: President
Eva van Gessel: Grace Farrell
Myrthe Huber: Lily
Sjoerd Spruijt: Rooster Hannigan
Dieter Spileers: ensemble
Melinda de Vries: ensemble
Danny Houtkooper: ensemble
Amanda Payne: ensemble
Michael Muyderman: ensemble
Sammy Uivel: ensemble
Sterre Verschoor: ensemble
Creative Team
Authors: Thomas Meehan
Translation: Rob de Graaf, Roy Peters
Lyrics: Martin Charnin
Music: Charles Strouse
Musical direction: Jeroen Sleyfer
Children: Herma van Piekeren, Simone van Gog
Choreography: Pim Veulings
Direction: Pim Veulings
Coaching: Michiel de Regt (acting coach)
Set design: Daniël Ament (design)
Costumes: Sabine Snijders (design)
Make-up, hair: Cynthia van der Linden
Lighting: Marc Heinz (design)
Sound: Maarten Houdijk (design)
Premiere
December 1, 2019
Synopsis
The red-haired orphan Annie returns in a new production by Theateralliantie and Mark Vijn Theaterproductions, returning to the origins of Annie in Harold Lincoln Gray’s comic strip.
Annie lives in an orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan, until millionaire Oliver Warbucks chooses her to spend Christmas with him. Warbucks initiates a search for Annie’s parents, leading to unexpected twists and colorful characters.
Set Design
Drawn sets and comic colors
Direction
Pim Veulings
Cast
Willemijn Verkaik: Miss Hannigan
Edwin Jonker: Oliver ‘Daddy’ Warbucks
Doris Baaten: President
Eva van Gessel: Grace Farrell
Myrthe Huber: Lily
Sjoerd Spruijt: Rooster Hannigan
Dieter Spileers: ensemble
Melinda de Vries: ensemble
Danny Houtkooper: ensemble
Amanda Payne: ensemble
Michael Muyderman: ensemble
Sammy Uivel: ensemble
Sterre Verschoor: ensemble
Creative Team
Authors: Thomas Meehan
Translation: Rob de Graaf, Roy Peters
Lyrics: Martin Charnin
Music: Charles Strouse
Musical direction: Jeroen Sleyfer
Children: Herma van Piekeren, Simone van Gog
Choreography: Pim Veulings
Direction: Pim Veulings
Coaching: Michiel de Regt (acting coach)
Set design: Daniël Ament (design)
Costumes: Sabine Snijders (design)
Make-up, hair: Cynthia van der Linden
Lighting: Marc Heinz (design)
Sound: Maarten Houdijk (design)
Opening
2019-09-01
Exhibition Concept
The Earthquake, designed by Studio Daniel Ament, is an intense experience within the hall “The Earth”. In this event, a puppet play about a Japanese mythology explaining earthquakes brings an actual earthquake to life. The puppet theatre begins to collapse, and visitors must find their way out through the debris to escape the peril.
Combining soundscapes, lighting design, and dynamic effects – such as a cracking and moving floor and a falling ceiling – this experience immerses visitors in the destructive force of the earth.
The hall “The Earth” itself is a tribute to the immense power of our planet. Visitors journey through awe-inspiring locations like volcanoes in Hawaii, earthquakes in Japan, and the rifts of Iceland, making the raw force of nature tangible.
Set Design
Realistic natural forces with dynamic effects.
Award
N/A
Opening
2019-09-01
Exhibition Concept
The Earthquake, designed by Studio Daniel Ament, is an intense experience within the hall “The Earth”. In this event, a puppet play about a Japanese mythology explaining earthquakes brings an actual earthquake to life. The puppet theatre begins to collapse, and visitors must find their way out through the debris to escape the peril.
Combining soundscapes, lighting design, and dynamic effects – such as a cracking and moving floor and a falling ceiling – this experience immerses visitors in the destructive force of the earth.
The hall “The Earth” itself is a tribute to the immense power of our planet. Visitors journey through awe-inspiring locations like volcanoes in Hawaii, earthquakes in Japan, and the rifts of Iceland, making the raw force of nature tangible.
Set Design
Realistic natural forces with dynamic effects.
Award
N/A
Opening
August 31, 2019
Exhibition Concept
In The Ice Age, you dive into the lives of the ‘big five’ of prehistoric Netherlands: the woolly mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, steppe bison, cave lion, and cave hyena. Along a scale model, with surprisingly realistic videos visible through binoculars, these animals come to life, hunting prey, becoming victims, giving birth, and dying. The exhibition shows how everything in nature is interconnected, even in the icy Netherlands of tens of thousands of years ago. Fossils from that time provide insight into this fascinating ecosystem.
Set Design
Realistic prehistoric dioramas with film projections
Opening
August 31, 2019
Exhibition Concept
In The Ice Age, you dive into the lives of the ‘big five’ of prehistoric Netherlands: the woolly mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, steppe bison, cave lion, and cave hyena. Along a scale model, with surprisingly realistic videos visible through binoculars, these animals come to life, hunting prey, becoming victims, giving birth, and dying. The exhibition shows how everything in nature is interconnected, even in the icy Netherlands of tens of thousands of years ago. Fossils from that time provide insight into this fascinating ecosystem.
Set Design
Realistic prehistoric dioramas with film projections
Exhibition Concept
During the major renovation and rebuilding of the Rijksmuseum, a secret society was discovered behind the walls, conducting research into the history of the Golden Age: What was behind it?
In the educational program You & the Golden Age, visiting children help the society put the pieces of history back together by stepping into the shoes of someone from the Golden Age. They meet Rembrandt, flee in Hugo de Groot’s book chest, and experience the cold in the Behouden Huys on Nova Zembla. This way, the museum objects gain meaning, making it an unforgettable history lesson.
Award
On March 27, 2014, the educational program You & the Golden Age won the Best Practice Award, as well as the NOT innovation awards, both public and jury prizes.
Set Design Concept
A hidden space
Opening: April 9, 2014
Exhibition Concept
During the major renovation and rebuilding of the Rijksmuseum, a secret society was discovered behind the walls, conducting research into the history of the Golden Age: What was behind it?
In the educational program You & the Golden Age, visiting children help the society put the pieces of history back together by stepping into the shoes of someone from the Golden Age. They meet Rembrandt, flee in Hugo de Groot’s book chest, and experience the cold in the Behouden Huys on Nova Zembla. This way, the museum objects gain meaning, making it an unforgettable history lesson.
Award
On March 27, 2014, the educational program You & the Golden Age won the Best Practice Award, as well as the NOT innovation awards, both public and jury prizes.
Set Design Concept
A hidden space
Opening: April 9, 2014
In première
October 17th, 2012
Synopsis
Aap and Bear is a bold road trip through Wim Hofman’s ABC book. In this physical and captivating show filled with hilarious confrontations, absurd dialogues, and unexpected spectacle, Aap and Bear are on a quest for a mysterious treasure. Along the way, they encounter various monosyllabic things and animals, in an adventure that starts with A and ends with Z.
Review
“With cabaret-style flair, Raaijmakers and Geerlings race through the letters of the alphabet. Slapstick, humor, clever dialogue, letter jokes at kindergarten level, philosophical bits, puppetry, and visual spectacle – it all breathes an original and fresh energy.”
— VSCD Youth Theater Jury
“Rarely has the alphabet been approached as unconventionally as by the young theater makers Job Raaijmakers and René Geerlings.”
— Het Parool (Joukje Akveld), ★★★★
“Hilarious mime art at the highest level.”
— De Volkskrant (Annette Embrechts), ★★★★
Set Design
All the letters of the alphabet
Director
Martin Hofstra
Cast
Job Raaijmakers
René Geerlings
In première
October 17th, 2012
Synopsis
Aap and Bear is a bold road trip through Wim Hofman’s ABC book. In this physical and captivating show filled with hilarious confrontations, absurd dialogues, and unexpected spectacle, Aap and Bear are on a quest for a mysterious treasure. Along the way, they encounter various monosyllabic things and animals, in an adventure that starts with A and ends with Z.
Review
“With cabaret-style flair, Raaijmakers and Geerlings race through the letters of the alphabet. Slapstick, humor, clever dialogue, letter jokes at kindergarten level, philosophical bits, puppetry, and visual spectacle – it all breathes an original and fresh energy.”
— VSCD Youth Theater Jury
“Rarely has the alphabet been approached as unconventionally as by the young theater makers Job Raaijmakers and René Geerlings.”
— Het Parool (Joukje Akveld), ★★★★
“Hilarious mime art at the highest level.”
— De Volkskrant (Annette Embrechts), ★★★★
Set Design
All the letters of the alphabet
Director
Martin Hofstra
Cast
Job Raaijmakers
René Geerlings
Opening
October 2012
Exhibition Concept
The Little Orphanage is a children’s presentation at the Amsterdam Museum, designed for families with children aged 4 and up. The exhibition brings the life of the 17th-century orphanage to life in an engaging way. Younger children can discover hidden animals, while children aged 7 and older embark on an adventure with the orphan boy Jurriaan to uncover the story of his parents.
Review / Article
“In a tastefully designed set with great attention to detail, the small sub-stories in thematically arranged discovery corners form the puzzle pieces for the bigger story.”
— Jury Report Gouden Reigers 2012
Award
Nominated for the Gouden Reiger 2012 for meticulous design and creativity on a small budget
Set Design
Bit by bit
Opening
October 2012
Exhibition Concept
The Little Orphanage is a children’s presentation at the Amsterdam Museum, designed for families with children aged 4 and up. The exhibition brings the life of the 17th-century orphanage to life in an engaging way. Younger children can discover hidden animals, while children aged 7 and older embark on an adventure with the orphan boy Jurriaan to uncover the story of his parents.
Review / Article
“In a tastefully designed set with great attention to detail, the small sub-stories in thematically arranged discovery corners form the puzzle pieces for the bigger story.”
— Jury Report Gouden Reigers 2012
Award
Nominated for the Gouden Reiger 2012 for meticulous design and creativity on a small budget
Set Design
Bit by bit
Opening
September 28, 2006
Exhibition Concept
Star in the City, inaugurated by Princess Máxima on September 28, 2006, is an interactive exhibition at Tropenmuseum Junior in Amsterdam. During the Bombay tour, children experience the dynamic life of the Indian metropolis of Bombay, where Bollywood glamour intersects with the challenges of daily life. Through objects, dance, music, scents, and stories from the city’s residents, children learn about the contrasts and resilience of the city.
Children are drawn into the story as fortune seekers, lured to the city by a recruiter, where they quickly find they must start at the bottom. They explore their place in Bombay, stepping into the shoes of residents who are interconnected through commerce and daily life.
Central to the exhibition is the story of Gauri, a girl who, despite her physical limitations, dances and shines as a symbol of resilience. A special music video was filmed in Bombay, featuring vocals by renowned singer Asha Bhosle. Children participate by dancing and are integrated into the video in real-time, which they can take home as a keepsake.
Set Design
Interweaving of formal and informal economy
Additional Information
The exhibition is accompanied by the book Dancing on One Leg, which takes readers on a journey to find a star in the city. The book is filled with photographs and offers a deeper look into life in Bombay.
Opening
September 28, 2006
Exhibition Concept
Star in the City, inaugurated by Princess Máxima on September 28, 2006, is an interactive exhibition at Tropenmuseum Junior in Amsterdam. During the Bombay tour, children experience the dynamic life of the Indian metropolis of Bombay, where Bollywood glamour intersects with the challenges of daily life. Through objects, dance, music, scents, and stories from the city’s residents, children learn about the contrasts and resilience of the city.
Children are drawn into the story as fortune seekers, lured to the city by a recruiter, where they quickly find they must start at the bottom. They explore their place in Bombay, stepping into the shoes of residents who are interconnected through commerce and daily life.
Central to the exhibition is the story of Gauri, a girl who, despite her physical limitations, dances and shines as a symbol of resilience. A special music video was filmed in Bombay, featuring vocals by renowned singer Asha Bhosle. Children participate by dancing and are integrated into the video in real-time, which they can take home as a keepsake.
Set Design
Interweaving of formal and informal economy
Additional Information
The exhibition is accompanied by the book Dancing on One Leg, which takes readers on a journey to find a star in the city. The book is filled with photographs and offers a deeper look into life in Bombay.
Premiere
28 September 2006
Synopsis
A magician makes a woman disappear. She does not return. Her husband does everything to find his beloved and steps into the magician’s magical world. He ends up in a surreal maze where illusion and reality blur. Every time he seems to find her, she slips away from him. The man gets lost deeper and deeper into the magician’s mind.
Set Design Concept
Magical and surreal maze world.
Production & Direction
Jakop Ahlbom / Jeroen van den Berg
Lighting
Rob Galdermans
Production
Meeke Beumer
Costumes
Susann Rittermann
Music
Wim Conradi
Cast
Jakop Ahlbom
Reinier Schimmel
Kelly Hirina
Irene Slotboom
Marie Groothof
Inez Almeida
Ariadna Rubio Lleo
Premiere
28 September 2006
Synopsis
A magician makes a woman disappear. She does not return. Her husband does everything to find his beloved and steps into the magician’s magical world. He ends up in a surreal maze where illusion and reality blur. Every time he seems to find her, she slips away from him. The man gets lost deeper and deeper into the magician’s mind.
Set Design Concept
Magical and surreal maze world.
Production & Direction
Jakop Ahlbom / Jeroen van den Berg
Lighting
Rob Galdermans
Production
Meeke Beumer
Costumes
Susann Rittermann
Music
Wim Conradi
Cast
Jakop Ahlbom
Reinier Schimmel
Kelly Hirina
Irene Slotboom
Marie Groothof
Inez Almeida
Ariadna Rubio Lleo
Opening
2003
Exhibition Concept
Paradise&Co is an exhibition about Iran, delving deep into history, with pre-Islamic Persia as a major source of inspiration. The seven regions of Iran are highlighted, and the Shahnameh, a poetry collection for kings, provides many of the stories for the exhibition.
In Amsterdam’s (formerly) Tropenmuseum Junior (now Wereldmuseum Junior), a tile artwork is growing. The museum walls are covered with scenes from the Shahnameh, a thousand-year-old Persian epic by the poet Ferdosi. In faint blue lines, like a pre-printed cross-stitch embroidery pattern, elegant miniatures are blown up to wall size.
The six thousand tiles are painted by children from all over the Netherlands in the temporary workshop, using pigments and glaze specifically intended for that precise square decimeter. According to the plan, the tiled wall would be completed in 2.5 years, coinciding with the end of the Paradise&Co exhibition.
Thousands of children beat drums in awkward rhythms, experienced wearing a veil, baked chickpea cookies in the reconstructed teahouse, practiced calligraphy, listened to stories, and sang a song in Farsi: «Beautiful flower, open up, darling, it’s spring». These activities allowed the children to engage all their senses to learn about Iran.
This aligns with the approach of Tropenmuseum Junior: always searching for «forms where objects, intangible culture, stories, activities, and children can be brought together in the most beautiful way possible».
Set Design
Tile artwork of 6,000 child-glazed tiles.
Opening
2003
Exhibition Concept
Paradise&Co is an exhibition about Iran, delving deep into history, with pre-Islamic Persia as a major source of inspiration. The seven regions of Iran are highlighted, and the Shahnameh, a poetry collection for kings, provides many of the stories for the exhibition.
In Amsterdam’s (formerly) Tropenmuseum Junior (now Wereldmuseum Junior), a tile artwork is growing. The museum walls are covered with scenes from the Shahnameh, a thousand-year-old Persian epic by the poet Ferdosi. In faint blue lines, like a pre-printed cross-stitch embroidery pattern, elegant miniatures are blown up to wall size.
The six thousand tiles are painted by children from all over the Netherlands in the temporary workshop, using pigments and glaze specifically intended for that precise square decimeter. According to the plan, the tiled wall would be completed in 2.5 years, coinciding with the end of the Paradise&Co exhibition.
Thousands of children beat drums in awkward rhythms, experienced wearing a veil, baked chickpea cookies in the reconstructed teahouse, practiced calligraphy, listened to stories, and sang a song in Farsi: «Beautiful flower, open up, darling, it’s spring». These activities allowed the children to engage all their senses to learn about Iran.
This aligns with the approach of Tropenmuseum Junior: always searching for «forms where objects, intangible culture, stories, activities, and children can be brought together in the most beautiful way possible».
Set Design
Tile artwork of 6,000 child-glazed tiles.