Anti-Hitler propoganda, display at the Verzetmuseum, Plantage Kerklaan 61a.

Verzetsmuseum

Top choice in Amsterdam


The museum of the Dutch Resistance brings the horror of German occupation in WWII vividly alive, using personal stories, letters, artefacts, films and photographs to illuminate local resistance to (but also collaboration with) the Nazis. There's also a section on the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) pre- and postwar. Labels are in Dutch and English, and there is a free audioguide available in multiple languages. Allow at least a couple of hours to explore the museum.

The Verzetsmuseum Junior section relates the stories of four Dutch children, putting the Resistance into context for kids with engaging interactive exhibits. The museum shop has a good selection of books, and the elegant cafe next door is a perfect refuge for a post-museum discussion on the politics of resistance over coffee and cakes.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Amsterdam attractions

1. Artis Royal Zoo

0.04 MILES

A wonderfully leafy expanse, mainland Europe's oldest zoo has a fine range of wildlife, with extensive habitats and room to wander. A lovely stretch runs…

2. Micropia

0.05 MILES

The world's first microbe museum is a germaphobe's nightmare. Micropia has hands-on exhibits and microscopes to peer through and fascinating, if…

3. Entrepotdok

0.1 MILES

In an area northeast of the Plantage, there is a 500m row of warehouses that once belonged to the Dutch East India Company (VOC). This powerful…

4. Hollandsche Schouwburg

0.12 MILES

Few theatres have had a history of such highs and lows. It was opened as the Artis Theatre in 1892 and became a hub of cultural life in Amsterdam, staging…

5. Wertheimpark

0.13 MILES

Adding to the lush greenness of the Plantage area, the city's oldest park is a small, lovely, willow-shaded spot for lazing by the Nieuwe Herengracht. It…

6. Kadijksplein

0.19 MILES

This tranquil square sits on the edge of 17th-century canals at the point before they widen out to the docklands. It has several laid-back cafés (pubs and…

7. Hortus Botanicus

0.21 MILES

A botanical garden since 1638, it bloomed as tropical seeds and plants were brought in by Dutch trading ships. From here, coffee, pineapple, cinnamon and…

8. ARCAM

0.24 MILES

The curved Amsterdam Architecture Foundation, a striking waterside building designed by Dutch architect René van Zuuk, hosts changing architectural…