He was on an outing with his students when he won his golden ticket. And suddenly, Stefan Kasper, a Dutch school teacher and artist, found himself being treated to a surprise reception by the museum staff of Amsterdam’s famous Rijksmuseum. Reason – he was their 10-millionth visitor and hence the winner of their one-time dream prize: spending a night alone in the Night Watch Gallery, and sleeping under the watchful gaze of the guardsmen in Rembrandt’s most famous painting, Night Watch.
“I’ve slept two metres (6.5 feet) from the Night Watch. It’s magic, I still can’t believe it,” said Stefan Kasper in a report published in Business Standard. “I discovered characters that I have never seen before. They came to life in front of me. It’s an experience that is forever etched in my memory,” he added.
This is the first time anyone has ever spent the night in the Rijksmuseum.
Taco Dibbits, General Director, Rijksmuseum, expressed delight at the large number of people visiting the museum, following its reopening in 2013 after a decade-long renovation. “We are delighted that such large numbers of people have visited the Rijksmuseum over the last four years,” said Dibbits, adding, “There’s always something new to see and experience in this large and spacious building, with plenty of places to wander around to your heart’s content.”
And all along we thought ‘Night at the Museum’ is only possible in movies.
Watch how Stefan Kasper spent his night at the museum
Do you feel strongly about something? Have a story to share? Write to us at info@thepeepertimes.com or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter
