New year, new stories, new exhibitions in 2026

The Maastricht Museum kicks off 2026 with three remarkable exhibitions. From February, the fifteenth-century Justice Panel takes centre stage, a masterpiece rich in symbolism. During Museum Night on 10 April, two new exhibitions will open: a selection from the Wagner-de Wit Collection, full of Maastricht heritage, and an ode to the iconic Kristalunie, featuring glass designs by Rozendaal and Verboeket. A year filled with stories, craftsmanship and wonder lies ahead!

Here’s what we’re working on behind the scenes:

February – The Justice Panel

From February 2026, visitors can admire the impressive Justice Panel in the museum gallery, on loan from the collection of Maastricht City Hall. This fifteenth-century painting depicts the Last Judgement and a session of the aldermen’s court, delivering a powerful call for justice. Christ passes judgement from heaven, while on earth a devil attempts to tempt the judges with gold. An angel points them towards hell as a warning against corruption. The panel was probably painted between 1475 and 1480 by Jan van Brussel, commissioned by the Burgundian Council Chamber in Maastricht. It is considered one of the oldest visual representations of a court hearing in Western Europe and also contains the oldest known city view of Maastricht.

10 April – Masterfully Made:
The Wagner-de Wit Collection

From Museum Night on 10 April 2026, we will present a selection from the Wagner-de Wit Collection in the exhibition wing. This collection of art and antiques was assembled in the first half of the twentieth century by the Hague-based couple Frederik Wagner (1870–1958) and Ambrosina de Wit (1876–1957). The collection was later expanded with treasures from Maastricht. The selected objects reflect the city’s rich and often surprising heritage. From refined craftsmanship to historical curiosities, each piece tells a story about the city and its inhabitants.

10 April – The Kristalunie

From Museum Night on 10 April 2026, the Kristalunie takes centre stage on the wooden floor, featuring exceptional loans from the Discovery Museum. This Maastricht glass factory was founded in 1925 through a merger of the glass departments of De Sphinx and Mosa, and went on to become a leading producer of glass and crystal products. The exhibition highlights the industrial and artistic heritage of the Kristalunie, with designs by, among others, Willem Jacob Rozendaal and Max Verboeket. Their glasswork reflects the creativity and craftsmanship of Maastricht in the twentieth century. The Kristalunie is an icon of the local manufacturing industry and a tangible reminder of the city’s rich industrial past.