Our museum

From a passion for collecting to a museum

The Museum of Forged Art (Museum Valse Kunst) began as the personal collection of Henk and Erna Plenter.

Henk was an avid collector of paintings and prints. Almost every weekend, he would scour auctions, galleries, and art markets in search of new acquisitions. Erna found it difficult to share this passion for paintings and prints—until the day Henk came home with a glass art object. From that moment on, she was hooked, too. Contemporary glass art became her great passion.

Over the years, the collection continued to grow. The walls of their home in Bilthoven were covered in art, and even the guest rooms filled up.

When Erna found herself having to maneuver around the artworks for the umpteenth time one day, the conclusion was clear: either move house or sell the art.

“Or,” said Henk, “we start a museum.”

Art for Everyone

After a long search, Henk and Erna found a unique location: the former town hall of Vledder. Museums Vledder opened there in 1998, featuring collections of graphic art, glass art, art from Drenthe, and paintings.

Among the artworks on display were a few pieces that later turned out to be forgeries. These “misguided purchases” were given a place in the smaller rooms on the upper floor.

Fake art draws attention

When the press wrote about the new museum, it was precisely that story that captured attention. The newspapers didn’t focus on the glass art or the prints, but on the forgeries.

“Opened in Vledder: a museum of fake art.”

Henk found it amusing. In fact, his curiosity was piqued. He began to delve into the world of art forgery. Where did the fakes come from? How were they made? And how do you spot a forgery?

In the years that followed, he became an expert in the field. Meanwhile, Erna blossomed into a passionate storyteller, taking visitors on a journey through the remarkable history behind the artworks.

From Chance to Unique Collection

As the museum gained renown, visitors increasingly brought artworks for Henk and Erna to evaluate. Sometimes, a promising purchase turned out not to be a genuine Van Gogh or Picasso after all. The owners would frequently donate these works to the museum, and so the collection of forgeries continued to grow year after year. What began with just a few unfortunate purchases has evolved into the museum’s largest and most extraordinary collection.

Art for Everyone

For Henk and Erna, forged art was never an end in itself; it was a way to spark people’s curiosity about art.

In the former council chamber, Henk gave countless lectures on art history, graphic techniques, and various art movements. His mission was simple: to make art accessible to everyone.

That idea remains at the heart of the Museum of Forged Art. For behind every artwork—whether genuine or a forgery—lies a story worth discovering.

A non-profit museum

Following Henk Plenter’s passing in 2010, the museum was continued by the Museums Vledder Foundation, a non-profit cultural organization with ANBI status. The foundation carries on Henk and Erna’s original mission: making art and culture accessible to a broad audience in an approachable way. Through our permanent collection, temporary exhibitions, guided tours, and educational activities, we aim to keep surprising and inspiring visitors, encouraging them to make new discoveries. In this way, the passion that drove Henk and Erna when they first started lives on in the museum every day.