Collection Management
Strategic goals
Strategic goals Strategic goals Strategic goals Strategic goals Strategic goalsIn line with the Strategic Plan 2017-2021, four strategic goals defined our work in 2021:
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Project based
Project based inventory and documentation of objects and stories
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Visibility
Increasing visibility of the collection and stimulating audience engagement.
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Quality
Improving quality and coherence of the collection
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Sustainable
Realization of sustainable accommodation.
Facts & figures
Facts & figures Facts & figures Facts & figures Facts & figures Facts & figuresAcquisitions
Acquisitions Acquisitions Acquisitions Acquisitions AcquisitionsAcquisitions through the Heineken company
The so-called ‘Bierboeier’ was added to the Heineken Collection. This floating beer barrel has been a popular vessel in the Amsterdam canals and other Dutch waters during summer events since the 1970s. The ‘Bierboeier’ will continue to be used during events and on summer days.
Next to the ‘Bierboeier’ there were other additions to the collection, mostly from the former offices of HEINEKEN colleagues in Zoeterwoude and Amsterdam. Most notably two guitars, but also some light signs and smaller objects. Both guitars will be on display in our exhibition in the Heritage Quarter as of 2022.
From Heineken Netherlands, we received photos of the tribute of our Olympic and Paralympic champions, celebrated at the Holland Heineken (T)Huis at the Kürhaus in Scheveningen and the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam.
Other acquisitions
Heineken Collection has acquired several company-related objects from two private collectors, like books, photo albums, lab artefacts and other small materials. Furthermore, some historically interesting Heineken merchandising, light signs and glasses.
Purchases
Last year we purchased a series of photos by Eveline Renaud. This year, we made a selection of 50 photos by the same photographer from the nineties and early 2000s. These photos strengthen the collection because they cover both an underrepresented period and subject. The emphasis in this series is on the diversity of the employees.
Some examples:
Conservation & storage
Conservation & storage Conservation & storage Conservation & storage Conservation & storage Conservation & storageReorganisation depot
2021, like 2020, was dictated by Covid restrictions. Still, when regulations allowed it, we were able to work in the depot two days a week.
Nearly all of our objects were barcoded, scanned and relocated in the depot. Brewery equipment, crates, textiles, merchandise, ash trays and glass trays are now clustered and easier to find.
The depot is now almost completely re-organized : 9507 objects were barcoded, scanned and placed in the depot in 2021. This brings the total to 10,088 (clusters of) objects.
We will finish the job in early 2022, by relocating our bottle and glass collection.
Active conservation and preservation
Van Daalen Papierrestauratie has preserved one of our collection highlights: Gerard Adriaan Heineken’s 1885 export journal, a small notebook that registers the export of Heineken beer to places such as Montevideo, Colombo, Calcutta and Aden. The journal also contains the number of crates of beer that were sold around the world. The journal is a sought-after object as it tells the story of the early internationalisation of the Heineken company. We plan to place it in our exhibition in the Heritage Quarter as of 2022.
Registration
In 2019 the Heineken Collection team wrote a collection plan, which gives direction to our collection management for the next few years. This document is an important step in the professionalization of the ways of working of the HCF. Next to our collection profile and selection criteria for the acquisition of new collection items, it includes cleaning and safety procedures and guidelines for registration and documentation. During the last two years we have fine-tuned and updated some of the procedures and manuals in the collection plan based on new insights, like the overview of brands we collect and the manual for the barcoding process.