There are reasons why Noah’s Ark will soon not be on the Kop van de Vaart, like all other eye-catchers at exhibitions, but for the historic part of the Drents Museum on the Brink. “The bust of Frida Kahlo was upside down, but it was much smaller as an eye-catcher. Initially, the intention was that our ship would also be exhibited there. Nicely fitting with the whirlpool of the Vaart, which so many years ago fought for is to excavate it again. That was successful at the time. Our idea was, what could be better to put Noah’s Ark there. But this exhibition about ancient Armenia is actually two years later than planned, as a result of the corona pandemic. In the meantime, catering companies have been given more terrace space, and there is now also a terrace on the Kop van Vaart. Our Ark no longer fits there,” says Romashuk.
But the location on the Brink is definitely an ‘excellent place’ for both Armenian project leaders. “A beautiful eye-catcher, in a beautiful location, right in front of the Drents Museum, in any case you can’t ignore it.” There are also animals in the ark, but there are only a few of them. The rest has to be found in the city, at the shops. “We have linked it to a fun contest, in which children have to look for animals in the shop windows. In this way you connect the city with the museum, and for the youth it is a fun treasure hunt that eventually yields a word. win a price.”
It costs 20,000 euros to make Noah’s Ark. The entire project is financed by the Asser Ondernemersfonds, the Vaart inner-city association in Assen and several sponsors. “We are really happy with how everyone is finally supporting this special project, although it was quite a journey to get it all done,” said Nicolai Romashuk.
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