Beyond the object: One day in Laurenskerk

Abstract

After the devastating bombing at the beginning of the Second World War Laurenskerk continued with an austere interior from the period of the Reconstruction. Since 2010 the historical stories connected with Laurenskerk have been visualized for the visitors of the church. During a symposium in November 2011 the creative process of the development of this exhibition was reviewed and attention was paid to the cooperation between the design office Kossmann.dejong, the wishes of the of the church wardens and the department for the preservation of monuments and historic buildings. In this article the experience of the visitor is of central interest. The semi-permanent exhibition was received quite positively by the public, especially because it was combined with and audio guide, which intensifies and prolongs one's visit. The exhibition proved to have added value for religious visitors, too.