Interwoven histories: women and the making of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

This article explores the roles that women have played in the development of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen between 1900 and 1956, highlighting the often-overlooked roles women played in shaping the museum’s collection and institutional development as both donors and employees. Combining findings from Bram Donders’ archival research, which identified over 500 female donors, and Eva van Bladel’s study on early female employees in the museum, this article reveals how women’s networks – through family ties, social circles such as the Rotterdamsche Kunstkring (Rotterdam Art Association), and shared educational experiences – fostered collaboration in building and curating the museum’s collection.