If you're interested in world cultures and the stories behind them, I highly recommend a visit to Wereldmuseum Amsterdam. Housed in a beautiful 1926 building close to the Oosterpark, the museum offers a mix of permanent and temporary thought-provoking exhibitions.
It was known as Tropenmuseum (Museum of the Tropics) until 2023, when it transitioned to its current identity as Wereldmuseum (World Museum), beginning a journey to adapt to modern values and reflect on what it means to house cultural objects from around the world.
In recent years, the museum has been actively changing the narrative around its collections. It doesn’t shy away from its colonial roots, instead using them as a starting point to explore important themes like migration, global trade, climate change and more. What I love most about this museum is how it connects the past to issues we face today, making each visit feel reflective.
In 2025, Wereldmuseum opened an exhibition titled: “Unfinished past: return, keep, or…?” (Onvoltooid verleden: Teruggeven, houden, of…?). This exhibition offers an in-depth exploration of the current debate surrounding collections gathered during the colonial period and the question of restitution. It’s there until January 2027, so there’s plenty of time to visit.
For the little ones, there’s a dedicated space called Wereldmuseum Junior, with events and activities for kids.
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