Rijksmuseum

What is Rijksmuseum MCP Server?

Rijksmuseum MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server designed to facilitate natural language interactions with the Rijksmuseum's extensive art collection. It allows AI models to explore, analyze, and interact with artworks and collections from the Rijksmuseum, bridging the gap between AI capabilities and rich cultural data.

How to use Rijksmuseum MCP Server?

There are two primary ways to install and use the Rijksmuseum MCP Server:

1. Using Claude Desktop with NPM Package:

   • Update your Claude configuration file (~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json) with the provided JSON snippet, ensuring to replace "your_api_key_here" with a valid API key obtained from the Rijksmuseum API Portal.
   • Restart Claude Desktop for the changes to take effect.

2. From Source:

   • Clone the repository.
   • Install dependencies using npm install.
   • Copy the example environment file: cp .env.example .env.
   • Add your Rijksmuseum API key to the .env file (RIJKSMUSEUM_API_KEY=your_api_key_here).
   • Update your Claude configuration file with the provided JSON snippet, replacing /path/to/rijksmuseum-server with the actual path to your installation and adding your API key in the env section.
   • Restart Claude Desktop.

Key Features of Rijksmuseum MCP Server

The server provides several tools for interacting with the Rijksmuseum's collection:

• Search Artworks (search_artwork): Search and filter artworks using various criteria such as text, artist name, artwork type, materials, time periods, and colors.
• Artwork Details (get_artwork_details): Retrieve comprehensive information about specific artworks, including basic details, physical properties, historical context, visual information, curatorial information, and exhibition history.
• High-Resolution Images (get_artwork_image): Access high-resolution image data with deep zoom capabilities, multiple zoom levels, tile-based loading, and full resolution support.
• User Collections (get_user_sets & get_user_set_details): Explore user-created collections, browse curated sets, view thematic groupings, and analyze collection patterns.
• Image Viewing (open_image_in_browser): Open artwork images directly in your browser for detailed viewing.
• Artist Timeline (get_artist_timeline): Generate chronological timelines of artists' works to track artistic development and analyze periods and styles.

Use Cases of Rijksmuseum MCP Server

This server enables a wide range of interactions, including:

• 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?"
• 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"
• 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"
• 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?"
• 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?"
• 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?"

FAQ from Rijksmuseum MCP Server

Q: What is an MCP server? A: An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server allows AI models to interact with external data sources and services, in this case, the Rijksmuseum's collection, through natural language.

Q: Do I need an API key to use this server? A: Yes, a Rijksmuseum API key is required. You can obtain one from the Rijksmuseum API Portal.

Q: Can I configure the server? A: Yes, the server can be configured through environment variables such as RIJKSMUSEUM_API_KEY (required), PORT (default: 3000), and LOG_LEVEL (default: 'info').

Q: Where can I find API documentation for the Rijksmuseum? A: Detailed information about the Rijksmuseum API endpoints used by this server can be found at Rijksmuseum API Documentation.

Q: How can I contribute to this project? A: Contributions are welcome! You can submit pull requests or create issues for bugs and feature requests.

Rijksmuseum MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides access to the Rijksmuseum's collection through natural language interactions. This server enables AI models to explore, analyze, and interact with artworks and collections from the Rijksmuseum.

Features

The server provides several tools for interacting with the Rijksmuseum's collection:

1. Search Artworks (search_artwork)

Search and filter artworks using various criteria including:

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

2. Artwork Details (get_artwork_details)

Retrieve comprehensive information about specific artworks, including:

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

3. High-Resolution Images (get_artwork_image)

Access high-resolution image data with deep zoom capabilities:

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

4. User Collections (get_user_sets & get_user_set_details)

Explore user-created collections:

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

5. Image Viewing (open_image_in_browser)

Open artwork images directly in your browser for detailed viewing.

6. Artist Timeline (get_artist_timeline)

Generate chronological timelines of artists' works:

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

Example Use Cases

Here are some example queries you can ask the AI when using this server:

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

You can install this server in two ways:

1. Using Claude Desktop with NPM Package

Update your Claude configuration file (~/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"
      }
    }
  }
}

You can get an API key from the Rijksmuseum API Portal.

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"
         }
       }
     }
   }
   

Make sure to:

• Replace /path/to/rijksmuseum-server with the actual path to your installation
• Add your Rijksmuseum API key in the env section

After updating the configuration, restart Claude Desktop for the changes to take effect.

Configuration

The server can be configured through environment variables:

• RIJKSMUSEUM_API_KEY: Your Rijksmuseum API key (required)
• PORT: Server port (default: 3000)
• LOG_LEVEL: Logging level (default: 'info')

API Documentation

For detailed information about the Rijksmuseum API endpoints used by this server, visit: Rijksmuseum API Documentation

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit pull requests or create issues for bugs and feature requests.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.