Ars Longa Amsterdam

Ars Longa Amsterdam is a Dutch exhibition design company founded in 1988 by Arthur Willemse and Ellen Toonen. The company develops communicative public attractions and exhibition presentations. Its first exhibitions were developed on commission from the Gezondheidexpotheek in Leiden, and it designed a long series of traveling expositions in museums, visitors centers, and hospitals. Ellen serves as Creative Director, developing visualization concepts, conducting content research, and writing texts; Arthur serves as Business Director, organizing and producing increasingly complex projects.

Ars Longa Amsterdam was founded in 1988 by Arthur Willemse and Ellen Toonen. During their joint museology studies in Leiden, Ellen and Arthur discovered their complementary qualities. Ellen has a creative background; she had previously stood in front of the class for years as a handicrafts teacher and also studied Dutch. Arthur had previously worked for the museum for contemporary art in Apeldoorn, where he gained experience as a project coordinator. During successful internship projects, they discovered a shared passion: the development of inviting, unique public presentations and inspiring experience worlds: "The art of creative communication". They also jointly followed a Cultural Management study in Utrecht. Afterwards they founded the company Ars Longa Tentoonstellingen. The first exhibitions they developed were on commission from the Gezondheidexpotheek in Leiden. They designed a long series of traveling expositions in museums, visitors centers, and hospitals. A medical theme was often the starting point. This successful start quickly led to increasingly challenging and larger commissions for visitors centers and museums. As Creative Director of Ars Longa, Ellen develops attractive visualization concepts for the most diverse public presentations. She conducts content research and writes texts. As Business Director, Arthur organizes and produces increasingly complex projects. He has an open eye for innovative techniques.

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