🇳🇱 Kröller-Müller Museum: A Pilgrimage to Van Gogh’s Second Home 🌌

Nestled in Hoge Veluwe National Park, this museum houses 88 Van Gogh paintings & 180 sketches—a testament to how a "misunderstood genius" went from obscurity to revolutionizing art. Here’s why it’s a must-visit for Van Gogh lovers: 🔍 The Collector’s Vision Helene Kröller-Müller (1869–1939), a German-Dutch heiress, defied critics to amass the world’s largest private Van Gogh collection (1908–1929) when his work was still dismissed29. 1935 Donation: She gifted her entire collection to the Dutch government to create this public museum—ensuring Van Gogh’s legacy stayed intact410. Unique Focus: Unlike Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, here you’ll find early studies (like The Potato Eaters drafts) and Arles-period landscapes, revealing his evolution69. 🖼️ Must-See Masterpieces ☕ Café Terrace at Night (1888): The iconic clash of warm yellows & deep blues—hailed by NatGeo as a "color revolution"6. 🌲 Road with Cypress and Star (1890): A swirling companion to Starry Night, painted weeks before his death1. 🎩 Self-Portrait with Straw Hat (1887): Raw brushstrokes capture his turbulent psyche—compare it to Chicago’s version! ✨ Curatorial Magic Thematic Galleries: Left Wing: Nature—The Sower, Wheatfield under Thunderclouds Right Wing: People—Postman Roulin, The Weaver Low-Light Rooms: Designed to mimic 19th-century galleries, with UV filters to protect thick impasto works like Almond Blossom4. 📍 Practical Tips ⏰ Hours: 10AM–5PM (closed Mon) 🎟️ Ticket: €18 (includes park entry + 1,700 free bikes to pedal through the forest!) 📜 Hidden Gem: The "Letters Corner" lets you scroll through Van Gogh’s 700+ letters to Theo—some originals rotate4. #VanGogh #NetherlandsTravel #ArtHistory 🌻