As a partner of the Rijksmuseum since 1998, the VriendenLoterij also contributes an annual sum for new acquisitions.

The VriendenLoterij is the Netherlands’ national culture lottery. Besides the chance to win prizes, Lottery participants support all forms of culture in the Netherlands, from the preservation of windmills to concerts, festivals and museums. The Lottery donates at least 40% of its yearly revenues (€ 158.9 million in 2018) to 77 cultural and built heritage organizations in the Netherlands. Since 2012, VriendenLoterij players can also designate a specific cultural organization to receive the proceeds from their ticket.

Music at the Rijksmuseum

On the occasion of its annual charity gala in February 2017, the VriendenLoterij presented an additional € 580,000 in project funding for ‘Music at the Rijksmuseum’. Thanks to this support, the Rijksmuseum can offer a wide range of music programming for all audiences to enrich the museum experience.

We are incredibly happy that the VriendenLoterij believes in our dreams. Music, like the Rijksmuseum, belongs to everyone and connects people with art and history. We hope to surprise our visitors with the music programs and broaden their horizons.

Taco Dibbits, General Director at the Rijksmuseum

VriendenLoterij annual contribution

As well as additional funding for this music project, the Lottery also makes an annual contribution of € 8 million for new acquisitions, shared between the Rijksmuseum, Mauritshuis, Van Gogh Museum and Kröller-Müller Museum. And, with their purchase of special Rijksmuseum Lottery tickets, participants fund free bus rides for school children from all over the Netherlands, enabling the Rijksmuseum to continue pursuing its mission for ‘all children to see The Night Watch’.