Founder Gerard Philips gets his own exhibition

On Wednesday, April 5, the Philips Museum opens the new exhibition Gerard. A temporary exhibition that offers a glimpse into the thoughts and actions of the founder of Philips as well as his handwritten notebook from 1893. With an eye for technology, entrepreneurship and his fellow man, Gerard was an exceptional man who, more than 130 years ago, laid the foundation for the innovative company that grew into a global concern. To this day, Gerard is an inspiration to future generations.

Who was Gerard?
Gerard Philips (1858-1942) was an engineer and technician, but also had a tremendous sense of entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility. With the help of his father, Gerard started a light bulb factory in 1891 in the heart of Eindhoven, which today houses the Philips Museum. He soon distinguished himself from other manufacturers, who often supplied complete electrical installations. Gerard sees a competitive advantage through far-reaching specialization and mass production of a single product: the light bulb.

Gerard concentrates on efficiently manufacturing a high-quality filament, assembling the lamps and further mechanization of the production process. He also constantly responds to new developments and groundbreaking innovations. This approach lays the foundation for future success. Throughout his working life, Gerard remains concerned with the quality of manufacturing processes. His motto is: "When quality is there, quantity comes naturally".

Gerard Philips artwork: tribute to innovation, entrepreneurship and humanity
In honor of Philips' 130th anniversary, the company has donated a Gerard artwork to the municipality of Eindhoven as a tribute to innovation and humanity. The 7-meter-high artwork will be unveiled at its temporary location in the Gloeilampplantsoen at Strijp-T on Monday, May 15. With the exhibition Gerard, the general public can become acquainted with the founder. Who was he? What did he do? And what is his significance?

Ten years Philips Museum
Exhibition Gerard will be on display starting next April 5, the day the Philips Museum celebrates its exact ten-year anniversary. In 2013, former queen, Princess Beatrix, opened the Philips Museum in the monumental building on the Emmasingel in Eindhoven. In the past ten years, the Philips Museum has grown into a full-fledged and modern visitor attraction that takes both young and old into the story of the company.

Work not previously shown digitally unlocked
In the Gerard exhibition, visitors can digitally leaf through a unique and well-preserved handwritten notebook written by Gerard in 1893. Many of Gerard's physical objects were destroyed during bombing attacks in World War II. The notebook, however, was preserved. It is therefore very special that this notebook can now be viewed by everyone. This brings visitors even closer to the thoughts and experiments of Gerard Philips.