Sarner International, a leading experiential design expert, has announced that, after a competitive international tender, it has been selected by the Museum of Literature/Children's Book Museum (Literatuurmuseum/Kinderboekenmuseum) to design two separate exhibition areas as part of a major relocation project.
In 2027, the Dutch museum will relocate from The Hague to Utrecht's historic city centre, occupying the Magazijn De Zon building. This move marks a new chapter for the institution, reopening with a collection of interactive and immersive exhibitions designed to engage and inspire visitors of all ages.
This new commission expands Sarner’s extensive portfolio of literary-themed experiences, including the immersive exhibition for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust launched earlier this year, which examines Shakespeare’s early years and the creative influences that shaped his brilliance.
Sarner will develop two separate experiences for the Museum of Literature/Children's Book Museum: an interactive exhibit for adults (18+) and an immersive installation set in the museum’s medieval vaults.
These two unique elements collectively highlight the depth and creativity of Dutch literary heritage.
Interactive exhibition
On the upper floors, Sarner is creating a lively, object-rich exhibition that highlights the museum’s famous collection of literary artefacts. This display uses a thematic approach to explore stories and creative expression.
Visitors will explore Dutch literature through interactive media, tactile installations, and immersive storytelling, experiencing it vividly, emotionally, and often unexpectedly. Upon arrival, guests establish a personal reading profile that quietly tracks their interactions throughout the exhibition.
This results in a personalised list of literary suggestions—a personal takeaway that keeps the story alive long after the visit. At the core of the experience, three immersive “story boxes” encourage visitors to discover, experience, and create stories from different perspectives.
Immersive vault experience
Underneath the galleries, medieval vaults will feature a multisensory installation that evokes a profound emotional connection to Dutch literary heritage.
The vaults reinterpret the museum’s vast literary collection as a “treasure trove of imagination," with each vault highlighting themes that have inspired writers over the ages and demonstrating the depth of the museum’s archive.
By blending set design, digital storytelling, soundscapes, lighting, and sensory effects, the installation utilises the dramatic architecture of the vaults to craft a visually stunning and emotionally impactful experience. Visitors are encouraged to enter the minds of writers and ponder the universal forces that fuel artistic creation.
The interactive exhibition and immersive vault installation each serve as individual attractions, but together they create a seamless experience that explores Dutch literature - highlighting imagination, creativity, and the lasting impact of stories.
Earlier this year, Sarner International was selected to design and deliver UNTOLD Stories of the Irish in the British Army.
This new museum will unite six historic regimental collections housed in a restored listed linen warehouse in Belfast’s Linen Quarter, along with renovated galleries at Enniskillen Castle.
