Toucans, walruses, elephants, blowfish, ibises, monkeys, lions and leopards can be seen at the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Airport Schiphol from April 20 through August 22, 2004.

�Drawings of exotic animals by Rembrandt and others� is the latest exhibition organized by the Rijksmuseum. Rembrandt�s superb drawing of a lion is the centerpiece of this exhibition. Besides the changing exhibitions, various paintings of Dutch 17th century masters are on permanent display. The prints and drawings on display in �Drawings of exotic animals by Rembrandt and others� date from the 16th to the 18th century. In this period traders and explorers discovered the world overseas. All levels of society, from townspeople to country folk, were fascinated by �the exotic�. To own exotic animals showed status and wealth, and every Dutch stadholder possessed a zoo. For 17th century Dutch artists like Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669), Paulus Potter (1625-1654) and Jacques de Gheyn II (1565-1629), exotic animals were favorite subjects for drawings. For a long time, true-to-life drawings were the principal means to lear about the animal kingdom. Nowadays the splendid drawings and prints show the everlasting beauty of these age-old animals.

The Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Airport Schiphol can be found on Holland Boulevard, in the area past passport control between the E and F Piers. The museum is open every day from 7 am to 8 pm, and admission is free. The Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has a permanent display of works by Dutch masters of the Golden Age from the Rijksmuseum collection. The temporary exhibitions change several times a year.

The Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Schiphol is a joint and unique initiative by the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The Rijksmuseum is the first museum in the world to have an annex at an airport, and Schiphol is the first airport with a museum in the terminal.

Souvenirs specially made for the museum are available at the museum shop at the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

For information on Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, visit www.schiphol.nl. For information on the Rijksmuseum, visit www.rijksmuseum.nl. Images are available upon request.

For information on Holland, please contact the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions at: Phone: (212) 557-3500 Internet: www.holland.com E-mail: info@goholland.com

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Media Contact: Brigitta Kroon-Fiorita +1 (212) 370-7360 bkroon-fiorita@goholland.com