Marianna van der Zwaag named Director of Japan Museum SieboldHuis

Posted on April 16, 2026

Leiden, 16 April 2026 – Japan Museum SieboldHuis has appointed Marianna van der Zwaag as its new Director, effective 1 May 2026.

Over the coming years, the museum will focus on further developing its exhibitions, public programme and visibility, with special attention to reaching new audiences. One of the current projects is a new presentation on the life and legacy of Philipp Franz von Siebold, developed in collaboration with author Annejet van der Zijl. The presentation will explore Siebold’s history from multiple perspectives.

Marianna van der Zwaag says:

“I am very much looking forward to working with the team to further develop Japan Museum SieboldHuis and to ensure that the museum remains welcoming, relevant and accessible to a broad audience, now and in the future.”

According to Robert-Jan Smits, Chair of the Supervisory Board, Van der Zwaag brings together strong subject knowledge and extensive museum experience:

“Marianna van der Zwaag is an inspiring leader with great energy. She combines a talent for bringing people together with strategic insight and broad experience in the museum sector. I look forward to working with her.”

Marianna van der Zwaag has extensive experience in the arts and cultural sector. For the past nine years, she has worked as a curator at the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam, where she collaborated with international artists including Ibrahim Mahama (2022–2023), Minne Kersten (2025) and Jesse Darling (from 24 April 2026). During this time, she also contributed to the online platform Open Archive. Before joining the Oude Kerk, she was Head of Exhibitions at the Royal Palace Amsterdam, where she was responsible for the museum programme and the development of the palace as a public museum. Since 2017, she has also been the founder of Welcome Stranger, a platform that invites artists to create temporary artworks on the façade or roof of her own home.