museum
Wereldmuseum Amsterdam
The former Tropenmuseum, exploring world cultures, migration and colonial legacies.
Photo: Casper Kraaijeveld / Google
Long known as the Tropenmuseum and renamed Wereldmuseum Amsterdam in 2023, this is one of the country's most thought-provoking museums. It tells the stories of people across Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas — their daily lives, art, and beliefs — while reckoning honestly with the Dutch colonial history that built the collection in the first place. It sits in the multicultural east of the city, a short walk from the Oosterpark and the Dappermarkt.
What to see
The collection runs to around 450,000 objects: textiles, masks, musical instruments, sculptures, jewellery, and photography from across the globe, shown in bold thematic exhibitions. Displays confront uncomfortable truths about exploitation and slavery rather than glossing over them. There's also a dedicated children's wing, Wereldmuseum Junior, that makes it genuinely family-friendly.
The building
Don't miss the building itself. Opened by Queen Wilhelmina in 1926 after more than a decade of construction, its vast, light-filled central hall is one of the most beautiful museum interiors in the Netherlands.
Practical
Open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–17:00, closed Mondays (except during national school holidays). Adult admission is around €18, free for under-5s, and free with a Museumkaart or I amsterdam City Card.
Tips from locals
Stand in the monumental light-filled Great Hall (Lichthal) at the heart of the building.
The displays are arranged around universal human themes rather than just by region.
It engages openly with the Dutch colonial past — look out for 'Our Colonial Inheritance'.
It's right by Oosterpark and the Dappermarkt in Amsterdam-Oost, easy to combine.
Families can visit Wereldmuseum Junior, the oldest children's museum in the country.
Did you know?
It was known as the Tropenmuseum from 1950 until 2023.
Its collection runs to around 340,000 objects and photographs from across the world.
The grand building opened in 1926 as the Colonial Institute and is now a national monument.
In 2023 it merged with sister museums in Leiden and Rotterdam under the shared name Wereldmuseum.
Its children's wing, opened in 1975, is the oldest dedicated children's museum in the Netherlands.
FAQ
- Is this the same as the Tropenmuseum?
- Yes — the Tropenmuseum was renamed Wereldmuseum Amsterdam in 2023, but it's the same museum in the same building.
- What are the opening hours?
- Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 17:00. It's closed on Mondays, except during national school holidays.
- How much is admission?
- Around €18 for adults, free for children under 5, and free with a Museumkaart or I amsterdam City Card.
- Is it good for children?
- Yes — there's a dedicated children's section, Wereldmuseum Junior, alongside the main world-cultures displays.
- What's nearby?
- It's a short walk from the Oosterpark, the Dappermarkt, and Artis zoo, in the east of the city.
Wereldmuseum Amsterdam (Tropenmuseum), Amsterdam
Linnaeusstraat 2, 1092 CK, Amsterdam