Resistance Museum (Amsterdams Verzetsmuseum)

Located opposite Artis Royal Zoo in the Plantage, the award-winning Dutch Resistance Museum has been named as Amsterdam’s best history museum. The displays follow the story of Amsterdam in World War II, from the point of Nazi invasion of The Netherlands in May 1940 until the end of the war in May 1945. The slow build-up of Dutch resistance to their German occupiers is highlighted with the use of clever dioramas and interactive exhibits that manage to convey a sense of claustrophobia and urgency. As well as following the tragic fate of the 140,000 Amsterdam Jews murdered in Nazi concentration camps, the museum recounts the story of the 20,000 Dutch political prisoners who were sent to labor camps such as Dachau in Germany; of those 2,000 were executed and several thousand died of disease.
The chronological exhibits include propaganda posters and the underground printing presses used to produce them; newspaper clippings; interviews with resistance members; and sad reminders of the times such as chessboards hollowed out to hide false passports. The Resistance Museum Junior is a new addition and focuses on four Dutch children from vastly different backgrounds and their experiences under Nazi occupation of Amsterdam.

Practical Info

Plantage Kerklaan 61. Admission €10 adults; €5 children aged 7–15; free under age 7; free with IAmsterdam Card. Open Mon 11am–5pm; Tue–Fri 10am–5pm; Sat–Sun 11am–5pm. The museum is accessible by tram 9 to Artis Zoo.