Look, a machine that takes thirty million years to cross an eleven-hundred-kilometer-long valley. Now that stimulates the interest of the upcoming bicycle repairers of group 17, also known as 'Sjors 113'. The mechanical engineers seem to be browsing in the museum shop of the Van Abbe, but no, that seems a bit too optimistic. Actually, they are just waiting here for a group member who is going to the toilet.

However, they did not experience the visit and the tour as a duty. "Especially with the explanation, it is certainly more than just slipping past art objects", Arjan says. Fellow group member Toon adds that the Utah machine of Gerrit van Bakel in particular stimulates the imagination. "Especially when art is combined with technology, it becomes interesting for us."

For Ewout, coming from Nijmegen and starting with Innovation Sciences, this is also a condition for valuing art. "Is there a technology museum in Eindhoven?", is his very obvious question. That the ending of the Evoluon and the futurological exhibition of Philips has come to an end for years, surprises him. In the Van Abbe they will not see him again soon, "but it is good to get to know the city in this way", is his soothing judgment.

Enthusiasm

In a group with students of Industrial Design and Mechanical Engineering, more than a third of them raises their hand when asked 'who will visit the museum again in the future'.

The enthusiasm of the volunteers who provide the tours will certainly not be a reason not to visit again. They do their very best to keep the sometimes somewhat amorphous groups focused with interesting facts and anecdotes about the artworks shown. Interesting fact? Founder Henri van Abbe made his fortune with the production of cigars and "he kept a lot of people working in Sumatra for that reason, to say it euphemistically", says a hip bespectacled guide.

The doorkeeper of the museum is most amazed at the artwork that the intro kids are able to create every night on Stratumseind. "A layer of thirty centimeters of trampled plastic cups all over the street, how do they manage that?"

For those who have not been deterred from art after today's first visit: you can visit the entire museum free of charge every Tuesday afternoon between 3 and 5 pm.