The exhibition, ‘Expat Impressions of The Hague’ finished on November 14, after three weeks of display in the Atrium of The Hague City Hall. The exhibition, which was seen by tens of thousands of people, painted a diverse and poignant picture of The Hague from the 1950s to the present as seen through the eyes of the expatriates who have made it home over the years.
During the official opening event on November 4, which was attended by members of the expatriate and local communities, Mayor van Aartsen spoke of what an integral part expats make up of The Hague.
As one of the organisers of the exhibition, the Expatriate Archive Centre (EAC) would like to thank our partners, ACCESS and The Hague Municipal Archives, for all the ways in which they have worked together with us as the exhibition took shape. Thanks are also due to curator Natalie McIlroy, who translated our collective vision into the beautiful and engaging shape the exhibition eventually took.
We also extend our deep appreciation to the organisations and individuals who delved into their own archives (or closets and basements) to find moving personal materials for us to use in the exhibition. A wonderful team of volunteers from ACCESS and the EAC spent many hours gathering, organising, and arranging many more photographs and quotes than could be included in the exhibition. We are especially grateful to Myrthe Korf, who has worked tirelessly for the last year to make the exhibition a success.
Many thanks to our generous sponsors, Shell, The Hague Bridge, CB&I, Rabobank, the American Women’s Club of The Hague, and Petroleum Women’s Club The Hague, without whom the exhibition would not have been possible.
Although the exhibition is no longer on display in City Hall, it is available for display in locations elsewhere in the city upon request. The organisation requesting the exhibition must cover expenses related to making it available, e.g. transportation and assembly costs.
If your organisation is interested in hosting the exhibition or more practical details, please contact Kristine Racina, Director of the EAC, at (0)70 427 2014 or director@xpatarchive.com.