Geert Groote (1340 – 1384) is the most important Deventer in history. He is known far beyond our borders as the founder of the ‘Modern Devotion’. This renewal movement stood for a personal experience of faith and a simple and sincere life.

That is why we tell his story in the Geert Groote Huis museum, on the foundations of the first chapel of the Brothers of Common Life. How he came to his insights, why he criticized the church and society and why his ideas are still topical.

The museum is divided into 3 themes:

Dislike:

This part is visible in the café area, where in the form of a chandelier images are displayed depicting the 7 virtues and vices, such as greed, avarice, etc.

Turnaround:

The life of Geert Groote is told in the back room. How he repents after a fairly loose childhood, after a period of illness. And how he decides to change his life and devote himself to a devout life and to dedicate himself to the poor. In the back room we show this on the basis of 6 cabinets, each with its own theme. Each theme is linked to current events.

Repentance:

In th e basement of the museum, we do not want to provide more information to the visitor. We want to address his or her emotions. Since the space itself is already very beautiful, we have not filled it up. There is a light projection, which is visible on the floor, and there is a little background noise. There are also 3 reflection cells, each with a screen and a seat for one person. Here you can watch a number of films that are played very slowly and that trigger emotions and reflections.

The Geert Groote Huis foundation is not associated with any ideological movement and focuses on the cultural-historical significance of the person Geert Groote and the value of his ideas in our time.