The Outsider Art Museum originated from a unique collaboration between The Dolhuys | museum of the mind, the Hermitage Amsterdam and healthcare facility Cordaan. The Dolhuys has been successfully operating the museum of the mind in Haarlem for 13 years, enabling the public to connect with the special parts of the human mind.

Several well-regarded exhibitions in The Dolhuys were dedicated to Outsider Art. The acquired expertise and experience of exhibiting and collecting Outsider Art are now deployed in the Hermitage Amsterdam. Director of The Dolhuys Hans Looijen is art- and business wise responsible for the Outsider Art Museum Amsterdam.

With the establishment of the Outsider Art Museum in the Hermitage Amsterdam, there now is a permanent place for the development of current Outsider Art in the Netherlands.