- wo 11 november 2026
- do 12 november 2026
The National Monuments Congress is the annual professional congress for the Dutch heritage sector, organized by the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands. The 2026 edition will take place at Theater & Congres Orpheus in Apeldoorn, the host city with a rich, grand, and green history. Under the theme ‘With Different Eyes’, participants will explore how the value of heritage shifts under the influence of new knowledge and changing perspectives.
A conference that changes host city
The National Monuments Congress is a regular annual meeting place for the heritage sector in the Netherlands and takes place in a different Dutch municipality each year. In 2026, Apeldoorn is the host city: the green and grand capital of the Veluwe, known for vast forests, heathlands, and a rich royal history. The city is home to remarkable monuments such as Het Loo Palace, the Grote Kerk, and Visitor Centre Het Aardhuis, complemented by architectural icons such as the Centraal Beheer building by Herman Hertzberger and Theater Orpheus itself.
Theme and program
Heritage has no fixed meaning: the value attributed to it grows, shifts, deepens, or disappears over time, influenced by new knowledge, societal developments, and changing perspectives. During the congress, it will be explored how heritage can be viewed through different eyes and what this yields, both in the meanings attributed to it and in the literal manner of perception. The morning program is plenary, featuring a keynote speaker among others, chaired by moderator Nilgün Yerli. During the plenary program, the Monumententalent Prize will be awarded, in keeping with tradition, to a young talent under the age of 32 who is in paid employment in the monument sector; the winner receives a development program worth 3,000 euros.
Pre-program and Mystery Monument Dinner
On Wednesday, November 11, the day before the congress, the Municipality of Apeldoorn, together with the Apeldoorn Heritage Platform, is organizing an inspiring afternoon program full of excursions and activities, specially prepared for congress participants but also accessible to residents of Apeldoorn. On the eve of the congress, the Mystery Monument Dinner will take place: a dinner at a secret heritage location, exclusively for congress participants.
