About us - Marechausseemuseum

JOINT MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT

In the Netherlands we have been living in peace for over seventy years now. As a result, a lot of Dutch people have come to be increasingly removed from the armed forces and our military history. Nonetheless, conflicts around the world we live in have a major impact on our society, now and in the same way they have done for centuries.

To a large degree, the Netherlands have been shaped by our military history. The foreign missions, the Cold War, the Second World war, the Napoleonic era, the Disaster Year, the Eighty Years’ War and many other times of struggle or threat have had a huge influence on our state structure, our borders, our landscape, our culture and our very DNA. It has been a history of great highs and deep lows, of destruction and reconstruction, victories and defeats, all of which continue to make themselves felt in many different ways in our society. To this very day. Our military past is closer to home to us than we may think.

Which is exactly where our remit lies as military museums. We seek to raise historical and modern-day awareness of the impact of war on our society. Of the fact that our armed forces have been closely entwined with the Netherlands for centuries. This teaches our audience that the peace and freedom we enjoy are anything but matter of fact and instills the need for us to (continue to) jointly protect the things we hold precious. In doing so, we take it as our mission to help build a freedom-aware and resilient society.

The Royal Defence Museums Foundation has a statutory board which is made up of one or several directors. The number of directors is established by the Supervisory Board. The Supervisory Board has appointed Paul van Vlijmen into office as the General Director. The latter is assisted in the performance of his duties by a Management Team

Management Team

Paul van Vlijmen, General Director SKD, interim Site Manager National Military Museum;
Wietse Portiek, Operations Manager SKD;
Kees Boelema Robertus, Site Manager Navy Museum;
Frédérique van Steekelenburg – van der Stelt, Site Manager Netherlands Marine Corps Museum;
René Parijs, Site Manager Marechaussee Museum.

Supervisory Board

The SKD has a Supervisory Board (SB) which superintends the accomplishment of the (social) objects within the broadest possible setting and the general state of affairs within the foundation and the associated organisation. The number of members of the SB is established by the Board itself. Members of the SB are appointed by the Minister of Defence, at the proposal of the SB.

The Supervisory Board is made up of the following members:

Mr J.S.J. Hillen, chairman
Mr W.I.I. van Beek
Mr R.H. Berkvens
Mr W. Bijleveld
Mrs M.G.H.A. Soeteman-Reijnen
Mr M. Schouten
Mr D. Starink
Mr H.H. Hulshof
Mrs Y. Shitrit

Since 25 June 2014, the Stichting Koninklijke Defensiemuseums (SKD) (Royal Foundation of Defense Museums) has been recognised by the Tax and Customs Administration as a Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling or ANBI (Public Benefit Organisation). The four museums that are part of the SKD come under the same recognition decision.

Nationaal Militair Museum (National Military Museum) in Soesterberg
Marinemuseum (Navy Museum) in Den Helder
Mariniersmuseum (Netherlands Marine Corps Museum) in Rotterdam
Marechausseemuseum (Royal Marechaussee Museum) in Buren

Public Benefit Organisations or ANBIs can call on certain tax benefits in the event of inheritances, gifts, donations and for energy tax. Institutions that have been designated as ANBIs have the benefit of these tax breaks. Since 1 January 2012, donors to cultural ANBIs get an extra donation deductible. This is intended to incentivise donations to cultural ANBIs.

HISTORY MARECHAUSSE MUSEUM

The Marechaussee Museum has a special history. In 1936 the Historical Museum of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee was opened in Apeldoorn. After the war, the museum moved to The Hague and then to Rotterdam. Since 1972, the Marechaussee Museum has been located in Buren in a former Royal Orphanage.