- On display: 18 April 2026 – 28 February 2027
- Curators: Celien Govaerts and Natasja Wolfs
- Co-creation partners: Pupils from Het Brede Spoor, De Vlinderboom primary school supervised by Het Kinderatelier, and students from Porta Mosana College
- Featuring work by: melanie bonajo, James Ensor, Ferdinand Erfmann, Peter Fischli, Charlotte Lagro, Navid Nuur, Wim Rijvers, Han Seur, Hussein Shikha, Roman Signer, Ine Schröder, Peter Struycken, Hans Truijen, Joep Vossebeld, Han van Wetering and David Weiss.
From 18 April, the third floor of the Bonnefanten will be transformed into a playground where children are encouraged to discover, experiment and try it for themselves. This special project was created for and (in part) by children, but no one is ever too old to (re)discover ‘the playing man’ in themselves.
After climbing the museum stairs, visitors are rewarded with a colourful play paradise. The play trail on the floor guides you through four themes: breaking rules, free play, putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and fun with pixels. Artists such as Roman Signer, Navid Nuur, melanie bonajo and others show how play is an important part of their art. The exhibition features video installations, paintings, and sculptures, most of which are from the Bonnefanten Collection.
Do & dare like an artist
Born to Play shows how play can serve as a way to understand but also question the world. Letting go of rules, experimenting freely and exploring new roles opens up unexpected ways of seeing, thinking, and experiencing, a technique artists apply repeatedly in their work.
The exhibition has so much to offer: visitors can make and shoot paper darts in an artwork by Navid Nuur, make textures visible on paper using the rubbing technique, play dress-up or a shadow game or discover a digital art game. The third floor of the museum will be a place where experimentation and imagination take centre stage.
For children and adults
Not only does Born to Play encourage visitors to see and experience differently, but this was also the focus during the compilation of the exhibition. We asked students from different schools to roll up their sleeves and share their perspectives on art. Children from Het Brede Spoor, De Vlinderboom primary school under the supervision of Het Kinderatelier, and students from Porta Mosana College, became the co-inventors and co-makers of the exhibition.
Even though Born to Play was developed with children aged 6 to 12 in mind, the exhibition is bound to captivate people of all ages. The interactive nature of the exhibition encourages young and old alike to rediscover the world through art and play.