Microcosm – The world in a Wunderkammer
A stuffed mechanical bear performing tricks, a mysterious dodo bone, anatomical models and splendid nautilus cups.
Harry Tupan bids farewell to the Drents Museum
His laughter rings out through the offices on Kloosterstraat. Tirelessly he moves between office and museum gallery, where the final touches are being made to Microcosm – The World in a Wunderkammer.
Ambitious, passionate, enterprising, cheerful, and brimming with boundless energy and a healthy dose of courage. On September 6 – his birthday – General Director Harry Tupan says farewell to 'his' Drents Museum. After more than 45 years of service, Harry is retiring, doing so with an Wunderkammer exhibition of his own making. Collector Harry Tupan makes his statement one last time, leaving a distinct mark.
Throughout his career, Tupan has held a wide variety of positions in the museum: from junior assistant, assistant curator, and head of commercial affairs to curator of contemporary art, deputy director, and ultimately general director. In the past decades, Harry has played a key role in the museum’s growth. With an unfailing talent for spotting opportunities, beauty, and unique collections, Tupan traveled the globe and brought extraordinary international exhibitions to Assen, including The Terracotta Army of Xi’an (2008), The Dead Sea Scrolls (2013), The American Dream (2017), Iran – Cradle of Civilization (2018), and Viva la Frida! – Life and Art of Frida Kahlo (2021). Visitor numbers increased fivefold, with peak years exceeding 200,000. The Drents Museum has become an indispensable player in the Dutch museum landscape, and Drenthe has secured its place on the world map.
Alongside major international exhibitions, Harry Tupan always fought to tell the stories of Drenthe. This resulted in gems of exhibitions on prominent Drenthe figures such as Harry Muskee, Egbert Streuer, and Tjerk Vermaning. He also gave space to more sensitive regional subjects, including the history of the Moluccan community and travellers in Drenthe.
In the later years of his directorship, there were more memorable moments. In October 2024, the new collection presentation Labyrinthia opened, transforming the museum’s historical wing and immersing visitors in 15 rooms filled with highlights of the collection. Almost simultaneously, Drents Museum De Buitenplaats in Eelde opened. With all his heart, Harry pursued his dream: to establish De Buitenplaats as a full-fledged part of the Drents Museum, profiling itself as an art nouveau museum based on the museum’s collection of Art around 1900. The combination proved highly successful, with more than 30,000 visitors coming to Eelde this year alone. And, of course, there was the dark chapter at the end of January 2025: the art theft during the exhibition Dacia – Empire of gold and silver. A traumatic experience not only for Tupan himself but also for his colleagues. Yet ever the optimist, Tupan continues to believe in a positive outcome and hopes that the golden helmet and bracelets will resurface.
For Harry, the most important thing has always been the people of the Drents Museum. 'Without my colleagues and the team, I could never have achieved this. I am deeply grateful to them.'
We too could not have done it without Harry. Where Harry is, there is movement. And that is something we as Team Drents Museum will greatly miss. Thank you, Harry, and we wish you all the best!
