Asbestos closes museum in Netherlands

The renowned Dutch Rijksmuseum, or Royal Museum, was forced to close after workers preparing for a renovation discovered asbestos in the 19th-century building.

The museum, located in Amsterdam, houses the largest collection of art in the Netherlands, including Rembrandt’s Nightwatch, and scores of other paintings by Dutch masters.

One of the country’s main tourist attractions, it will be closed to the public and museum staff until further notice, said Peter Sigmond, director of collections.

The museum said visitors had not been at risk, but that it was unclear what effect the asbestos may have had on the museum staff.