Rijksmuseum MCP Server

Features

1. Search Artworks (

search_artwork

)

• Text-based search
• Artist name
• Artwork type
• Materials and techniques
• Time periods
• Colors
• And more

2. Artwork Details (

get_artwork_details

)

• Basic details (title, artist, dates)
• Physical properties
• Historical context
• Visual information
• Curatorial information
• Exhibition history

3. High-Resolution Images (

get_artwork_image

)

• Multiple zoom levels
• Tile-based image loading
• Full resolution support
• Position information

4. User Collections (

get_user_sets

&

get_user_set_details

)

• Browse curated sets
• View thematic groupings
• Analyze collection patterns
• Access detailed set information

5. Image Viewing (

open_image_in_browser

)

6. Artist Timeline (

get_artist_timeline

)

• Track artistic development
• Analyze periods and styles
• Study career progression

Example Use Cases

Artwork Discovery

"Show me all paintings by Rembrandt from the 1640s"
"Find artworks that prominently feature the color blue"
"What are the most famous masterpieces in the collection?"
"Search for still life paintings from the Dutch Golden Age"

Artwork Analysis

"Tell me everything about The Night Watch"
"What are the dimensions and materials used in Van Gogh's Self Portrait?"
"Show me high-resolution details of the brushwork in Vermeer's The Milkmaid"
"Compare the colors used in different versions of The Potato Eaters"

Artist Research

"Create a timeline of Rembrandt's self-portraits"
"How did Van Gogh's use of color evolve throughout his career?"
"Show me all works by Frans Hals in chronological order"
"What techniques did Jan Steen use in his paintings?"

Thematic Exploration

"Find all artworks depicting biblical scenes"
"Show me paintings of Amsterdam in the 17th century"
"What artworks feature flowers or still life arrangements?"
"Find portraits that include musical instruments"

Collection Analysis

"Show me the most popular user-curated collections"
"Find sets that focus on landscape paintings"
"What are the recent additions to the museum's collection?"
"Show me collections featuring works from multiple artists"

Visual Details

"Let me examine the details in the background of The Night Watch"
"Show me a close-up of the jewelry in Girl with a Pearl Earring"
"Can you display the highest resolution version of The Jewish Bride?"
"I want to study the facial expressions in The Syndics"

Getting Started

1. Using Claude Desktop with NPM Package

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rijksmuseum-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-server-rijksmuseum"
      ],
      "env": {
        "RIJKSMUSEUM_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

2. From Source

1. Clone this repository
2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

3. Copy the example environment file:

   cp .env.example .env
   

4. Add your Rijksmuseum API key to the

   .env

   file:

   RIJKSMUSEUM_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
   

5. Then update your Claude configuration file:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "rijksmuseum-server": {
         "command": "node",
         "args": [
           "/path/to/rijksmuseum-server/build/index.js"
         ],
         "env": {
           "RIJKSMUSEUM_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
         }
       }
     }
   }
   

• Replace

  /path/to/rijksmuseum-server

  with the actual path to your installation
• Add your Rijksmuseum API key in the

  env

  section

Configuration

• RIJKSMUSEUM_API_KEY

  : Your Rijksmuseum API key (required)

• PORT

  : Server port (default: 3000)

• LOG_LEVEL

  : Logging level (default: 'info')

API Documentation

Contributing

License