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The Dutch Resistance Museum takes you back to the forties and the time of the Nazi German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. Would you cooperate, join the Nazi’s or resist?
Read more
- Step back in time to Amsterdam in the 1940s
- See, hear, and read stories about life during World War II
- Experience how the war affected the Netherlands
Children
Child tickets for 7-16 year olds
Free entry for 0-6 year olds when accompanied by a paying adult
Opening hours
Monday - Friday: 10.00 - 17.00
Saturday - Sunday: 11.00 - 17.00
Languages
The free audio tour is available in English, Dutch, and Dutch Sign Language
Ticket information
Ticket directly available on smartphone
Ticket is valid for one year, ticket cannot be cancelled
More information
For questions about the product, please contact [email protected]
Accessibility
- Wheelchair friendly
- With audio description
- Free access to bathroom
Dutch Resistance Museum
Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Public Transport
The nearest stops are Waterlooplein (metro 51, 53 & 54) and Artis (tram 14).
Open in Google maps
The occupation and the resistance
The Dutch Resistance Museum is dedicated to the resistance movement in the Netherlands during World War II. Right after the Germans bombed Rotterdam in May 1940, the Dutch surrendered and Nazi’s took over the streets of the country. People were faced with a choice: do we cooperate and do exactly what the Germans say, do we join the Nazi’s and help them or do we join the resistance movement?
This question is explored in the museum. The Dutch Resistance Museum helps evoke the climate of the war years by showing the lives of people who made different choices, with a primary focus on the resistance. This often extremely dangerous choice made people very creative in thwarting the Nazis and helping Jews and other groups of people who were being hunted down.
Holland in World War II
The museum's permanent exhibition takes visitors back to the forties, the period of the German occupation during World War II. The halls and walls that make up the décor of the Dutch Resistance Museum are full of photos to help evoke the war years. Much of the collection consists of artefacts collected from the personal belongings of members of the resistance movement.
The exhibition covers all forms of resistance: strikes, forging of documents, helping people to go into hiding, underground newspapers, escape routes, armed resistance, and espionage. You can see strollers with guns hidden in them, forged ID cards, typewriters on which coded messages were typed and chessboards with hidden compartments.
As well as seeing the ins and outs of life in the resistance, you’ll also see what day to day life was like for people who choose to cooperate. What limitations did the occupation put on them and why did some of them decide to join the resistance after all? Another important part of the museum focuses on the Dutch colonial empire, the Dutch East Indies during the war. Where the population suffered terribly under the Japanese regime of terror.
Get your tickets now!
The exhibition is in both English and Dutch, making it accessible to most visitors. There is also a free audio tour which is offered in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. Book your tickets to the Dutch Resistance Museum now and don’t miss out on this vital piece of Dutch history!
Grab your Amsterdam museum tickets and enhance your trip with Tours & Tickets for an amazing experience.
173 Reviews
4.9
Average rating from
Tripadvisor
flagsandco
Amazing museum experience
Visited this brilliant museum dedicated to the brave, resilient and courageous Dutch people during the Nazi occupation in WW2. It’s on the edge of the city, cafes and bars around for drink or food. Allow at least 2 hours if you want to see and appreciate the true stories being shared. An audio system in various languages is provided with the ticket price, also there are books available for purchase. The staff are very friendly and helpful. Happy to recommend and should we return to Amsterdam would pay another visit.
Dec 7, 2024Tsere
A must for anyone interested in understanding the various impacts of WWII
This museum provides an in depth understanding of what life was like for the residents of Amsterdam during the German occupation of WWII. It accomplishes this by presenting the personal experiences of those who lived through this occupation. For those seeking to understand the impacts of war on civilians, I highly recommend visiting this museum. Dr. Richard J. Chacon - Anthropologist.
Nov 27, 2024camerareel
Absolutely amazing
One of the bests museums we visited in Amsterdam. If you are interested in Nazi occupation and WWII history, even if you are slightly interested, this museum will be a good choice. Full of witnesses, original elements and even a zone for kids with interactive lessons. I greatly recommend a visit.
Nov 26, 2024MickW243
A most interesting Museum
This was a superb museum telling detailed stories of Dutch resistance. It was designed around stories of individuals who resisted in many different ways. Found the audio a little intermittent - reading the stories seemed to work better. Great film footage around the museum as well. Excellent value for money. Tip : If fully interested, allow at least two hours to see it all. In addition, the less knowledgeable would get more value by visiting the Anne Franck House first.
Nov 20, 2024910Amy
Well worth the time!
Glad we had time to visit this outstanding museum. The audioguide is essential and really brings the stories to life. The stories of resistance during WWII were very moving and well told. Loved the interactivity, the way critical components were examined (e.g., propaganda, the tools of resistance, individual impacts, etc.). Short films were all very informative and well done. Thank you. Wish this museum had a traveling exhibit that could find its way to the USA.
Nov 18, 2024138alp
Excellent Representation of Dutch Resistance
Our flight landed at 8:30 AM, and after a brief stop for breakfast...this is where we chose to begin our Amsterdam exploring. People involved in the Dutch Resistance were so very brave. Despite the help of the resistance, many Jewish people succumbed to the terror. This museum is very well organized, and we learned so much. Seeing the Anne Frank museum 2 days later was made so much more impactful by visiting this museum. Highly recommend a couple of hours to see this museum.
Nov 2, 2024lisagG6234MI
Sobering but enjoyable
Really enjoyed this museum. Would recommend you allow at minimum 1hr to do this museum. A lot to see and a reminder of why we should not let this happen again yet unfortunately it is.
Nov 2, 2024nicolasA3603LF
Definitely worth a visit!
My favourite museum to date! All of the human stories are how they were portrayed was incredible. The children loved the junior part of the museum! Fantastic!
Oct 30, 2024Katharina291
Dutch Resistance Museum
To go through this museum probably took about 90 minutes. I appreciated that there were several locations to eat nearby (that can be handy when travelling). It's in a nice neighbourhood. I probably could have taken time just to wander around. The museum provides a lot of displays which provoke discussion and thought. The displays are very well done. There's also a small bookstore here.
Oct 29, 2024Aine36
Very well done museum - awe inspiring
Very well thought out museum. Engaging and thought provoking. Amsterdam is such a fantastic city it’s hard to appreciate what the Dutch people endured but awe inspiring to see how they fought back. Courage and resilience shines through.
Oct 29, 2024D3961CKdianep
Full of Bravery and Courage! A Must See museum!
This is the most well organized and awe inspiring museum I have ever been to. The exhibits are interactive and so informational and personal! There are images of Real people who stood up to Hitler and many of those people lost their lives because of their bravery and courage. It was awe inspiriting to read and hear and see all the people who Resisted! I was teary eyed most of the way through but I would never have missed this museum. I learned so much about the 'Reign of Terror ' that the Nazis created , so much that people were terrified for their lives every day! Do not miss this museum. 'This is so important to see !
Oct 16, 2024alanaboo
Very interesting exhibition
Very interesting exhibition. The stories give you a very in depth insight to the horrendous effect WW2 and the occupation of the Netherlands had on the Dutch people. Emotional but worth visiting.
Oct 12, 2024michael22164
Well Worth Museum on the Dutch Resistance During WW2
Provides a full chronology of events and covers a wide range of topics. We have all heard about the French resistance and I am glad to know the Dutch resistance is perserved. If you like WW2 history it is a must-see. Check out the cafe next door after your visit.
Oct 11, 2024ellenoftroy728
A MUST Visit
This is an incredibly impactful, interesting museum that is absolutely worth a visit. It’s filled with stories of so many different perspectives of the Dutch living during WWII. The audio tour added to the experience, and my boyfriend and I talked for hours after leaving. There was something about all the different stories of different kinds of resistances (and even stories of people who didn’t resist!) that left a lot more food for thought than just the typical “hero” stories we sometimes focus on from WWII. This is a museum that is NOT to be missed.
Oct 9, 2024sumnerb2020
Excellent user experience
The museum is very impressive, and contains lots of high quality exhibits. What I appreciated most was the overall user experience. Example: there was markings on the floor to indicate where to go next, and raised bumps to indicate where to stand and read the description or watch a video. The audio tour was not only excellent, but free! It was the easiest museum to navigate that I have seen in a while.
Sep 22, 2024U6649IHjonathane
Well worth a visit.
We arrived with an hour before they closed having been site seeing elsewhere. I wish we had got there earlier. This visit will take more than an hour for sure. We had to rush it towards the end and missed some of the detail. Well worth getting to know the history of the resistance. Should I come back to Amsterdam, even if passing through I will make every attempt to come back and finish the visit.
Sep 20, 2024X7913DJcharlotteh
A must visit
This is an incredible museum wirh some amazing stories about the Dutch resistance to the Nazi regime. The museum centres around personal experiences of figures from the time and context is given with short videos throughout the museum. The staff were friendly and very helpful and I encourage you too look at the messages on the wall at the end of the exhibits. The only problem we had is that the audio guides were a bit temperamental but the staff were happy to give you a new one if yours broke.
Sep 17, 2024BillH629
Well done and informative!
If you have any appreciation or interest of European history about WWII, then this is a “must see”. This is not the first resistance museum we’ve toured, so can compare. It’s very well done and tells some moving stories. The audio tour is outstanding and really needed to get the full impact and information. We thought we knew the Netherlands role in the war, but this gave us new perspectives and we appreciate that.
Sep 9, 2024jami7739
Best museum of holiday!
Excellent - our favourite museum of the trip. Audio guides good but trippy when near other scanners. If going with kids, recommend going to junior section early on (entrance is half way round). Ours were flagging a bit by the time we got there. The junior section however was wonderful.
Aug 30, 2024ConnecttheGlobe
Great and engaging museum
This is an outstanding interactive presentation from the perspective of people who lived through it all, and so glad we added this to our schedule while visiting Amsterdam. The use of written stories, photographs, artifacts, audio and easy navigation through sections made for a great visit with our 13 year old. We also went through the Junior section (aimed at 9-14yos, which was very hands on and engaging for all of us. Our visit lasted about 3-hours, and believe this is a must addition to any visit to Amsterdam. We didn't take many photos, as we were too busy and in awe of the museum exhibits and stories, however, I added a few to this review that I took to serve as a reminder of our visit.
Aug 27, 2024ChrisM220692
Fascinating insights on WWII from the perspective of the Netherlands
Fascinating and in depth insights into the complexity of life in the Netherlands during and after WWII. Highly recommended for anyone interested in history!
Aug 25, 2024psychomom715
Must see for those interested in the WW2 resistance
This is such an amazing museum experience, with a unique viewpoint. It is sobering, and thought provoking. Highly recommended for anyone interested in this side of the story.
Aug 19, 2024TobiasWallin
Bring the WW II resistance movement alive
Interesting museum focused on the resistance movement in Netherlands during WW II. It was focused on showing all the good activities performed by different resistence heroes. Not that much general information about the war but more on individual life stories.
Aug 17, 2024FamilyOfTravelers_3
Interesting unique perspective on WWII Resistance in Amsterdam
Really nice museum that explains more about the Resistance movement in Amsterdam during WWII. My husband and I actually read each placard, which we don't usually take the time to do in every museum that we visit. The information was so new to us and interesting that we took the time to really take everything in. It took about 2 hours to go through.
Aug 12, 2024J3055UBrebeccas
So worth it!
I had been wanting to go to this museum because of all the good reviews. I saw a chance to book a narrated trolley ride before going in to see the museum. Glad I did. What a grand vintage trolley it is. There is an English speaker in one of the two cars and he pointed out places of interest to the war. The museum is very well done with an audio handheld speaker. I must have stayed 2 hours in there. So interesting to learn about the ways people resisted the Nazis and many paid with their lives. Very well displayed artifacts and pictures and videos . Excellent museum.
Aug 6, 2024mdr91
Must see when in Amsterdam
I discovered this museum when researching on Tripadvisor before leaving for Amsterdam. We are so glad we made time to visit. The museum did an excellent job of taking you through the various stages of the war in Amsterdam and the resulting resistance movement. There were a lot of very personal stories woven throughout the exhibit that really added to the impact of the museum. The museum gives you a listening device that provides an explanation of each display, but there are also cards with much of the same text on the wall. It was very easy to follow along. The only downside of our visit was that there were two school groups who entered shortly after us. Their guide actually asked us to move from one of the displays (while we were in the middle of listening to the audio description) because she wanted to talk about it to her group. We weren't lingering and hadn't jumped ahead of them, so it was confusing as to why she felt it was ok to try to shoo us away. While I think it's great that school groups visit this museum, perhaps it would be better if they have their own dedicated times if the guides are going to try to push other visitors out of the way. Overall I highly recommend visiting if you are in Amsterdam.
Jul 24, 2024fabdog
Good museum
This was an interesting museum focusing on WW2 in the Netherlands. Showed how the resistance formed over time, and that many people didn't take a side. The audio guide is helpful for the many short films that cover different periods of time but in the exhibits just reads what's printed on the placards
Jul 23, 2024malinf78
Visit!
Very interesting experience, thoughtful stories and displays about the 2nd world war and the resistance in the Netherlands.
Jul 12, 2024903neille
Must do
Excellent and honest analysis of the way the resistance was formed and acted. The audiovisuals were excellent and easy for all ages
Jul 9, 2024r0zebud
Excellent Museum!
This museum was excellently done! Informative and easy to understand. The audio in each language was amazing, very accessible. Would highly recommend! The kids section was perhaps to child like to engage our kids aged 11 & 14, mostly due to the fact the rest of the museum as so well done.
Jul 8, 2024I1385HHjanet
Amazing museum
Amazing museum! Went with my 16 year old daughter and we spent 3 hrs there. Audio guide and all visual resources were fantastic. The museum covered all different perspectives allowing us to fully grasp the impact of this horrifying event. Would definitely recommend to people of all ages.
Jul 5, 2024rayj710
Well worth the visit.
Not on our radar but recommended by friends. Pleasant 1/2 an hour amble from Amsterdam Centraal (Railway station). Good cafe right out the front where we had lunch before going in. Not overly large museum, well organised chronologically, with film, photos, physical exhibits and written pasteboard stories adding to self guided audio tour from all sides: Dutch, German, Resistance, Collaboraters, Civilians. Well worth it.
Jul 4, 2024travel_junkie1573
Awesome experience
One of the best museums we have been to. My 11 year old loved both the main museum and the kid's area. So interesting and informative. Main museum offers audio tour in many languages. Kid's area is in Dutch or English. Don't miss this one!!
Jul 2, 2024J7419QKtomh
Evocative and Educational
Dutch Resistance Museum – The Museum is a little out of the way and across the street from the zoo. We spent a full two hours here walking through this informative and sober museum, reading and experiencing the exhibits. The individual stories of courage and despair were incredible. There were also some immersive experiences, like the exhibit of an actual homemade radio whose antenna you had to manipulate in order to hear the clandestine daily program offered by the exiled queen herself.
Jul 1, 2024bethfjones
A real highlight of our weekend
Really enjoyed the museum, easily spent 3 hours there. Thought the audio guides were a great touch to break up the reading. I learnt so much and will definitely go again.
Jun 23, 2024rweis1d
Amazing museum
Amazing museum which really details the plight of the Jews, the Dutch and the Resistance in the Netherlands during WWII. Has real good audio program about many individuals that were caught up in the events. This part is incredible
Jun 19, 2024124ginab
Very powerful museum. Spend the time and never forget.
The audio tour takes you through what happened, how the resistance started, who was involved and how it helped. I've read about the resistance and this tour brought it into perspective
Jun 14, 2024BobN06
Nice review of the Dutch resistance in WWII
Museum is a great presentation of Dutch resistance in WWII. Incorporates world history into local events through videos and personal stories. Highly informative and accessible. Only thing we found was that it seemed biased, putting a positive spin on the Dutch and their resistance to the Nazis. Realize that this a museum about the Dutch resistance but this needs to be tempered in your mind that the Dutch population in general focused on survival and over 2/3 of the Jewish population was killed.
Jun 13, 2024Navigate23281424354
Well worth the visit
Visiting this museum is well worth it. Friendly informative staff and free lockers on entry to store your bags etc. The museum was very informative and lots of effort has been put into making the museum easy to navigate with lots of visual pictures and videos. Each person is given a headset and you can move around at your own pace. Takes about an hour but no time restrictions in place.
Jun 11, 2024tmb123_12
Inspiring experience
This is a very good and informative museum. A must do if you are in Amsterdam. We did the Ann Frank walking tour before coming to the museum so we had a lot of background knowledge about the occupation and resistance of the Dutch people. The artifacts collected and research that went into telling these stories was extensive. It was not a boring museum but inspiring.
Jun 8, 2024az2580
Incredible education on the resistance movement during WWII- a must-see
What an incredibly curated museum- telling the story of the brave resistance members in the Netherlands throughout World War II. I felt so emotional knowing there were such brave individuals willing to stand up to the Nazis. Excellent story telling, powerful experience.
Jun 8, 2024catherinegH4628RS
You don't want to miss this museum!
This museum is a "must see" when you are in Amsterdam!! It gives a really good "look" at how the resistance grew and spread over the many years of the war -- and how there were so many different points of view at the beginning. We spent 2 hours in this museum and all of us were so impressed and moved by the many stories it told.
Jun 5, 2024ZacharyWHennessy
Must see WW2 museum!
An absolutely brilliant museum showcausing the history of the Netherlands during World War 2 through a set of stories that connected you to the people that lived through it
Jun 5, 2024momscaasi1
Thank you, Dutch Resistance!
I suggest reading about the Dutch resistance before going, so you understand how important and dangerous their work was. I also recommend you travel with plug in headphones. All museums have handhelds for each museum station, and the “phones” they give you aren’t super comfortable to hold over a long period of time. The headphones that plug in work wonders for comfort.
Jun 2, 2024catherinesH134IL
Learn about the history of the resistance in the Netherlands.
Learn about the history of the Netherlands during World War 2 at this resistance museum. Through a series of short films, with an English handset, and a series of exhibits that expand on the films, follow the growth of the Dutch resistance. It takes 1 to 2 hours, depending on how in depth you go.
May 26, 2024stevelundgrenl
A must see
This museum was so informative with an audio tour, videos, and artifacts. It was so informative and extensive. I highly recommend this when visiting Amsterdam especially if you enjoy history.
May 19, 2024amyb129
Amazing museum for all ages
My 20-year-old daughter and I visited the museum on a recommendation and we are so glad we did. We’ve been to many museums internationally and we both agreed this was the best we have been to.. The exhibits are all based on personal experiences during the war, and the stories are so well told. The the best part is the kids area (I don’t care how old you are… this is a must see )which tracks the lives of four children during the war with amazing interactive exhibits and concludes with interviews with them as adults… Extremely powerful . We usually have an hour limit in any museum. We spent over two and probably would go back. Very easy to get to with a short walk from the tram stop in a cute neighborhood. It was complimentary to the Anne Frank house and told a larger story .
May 13, 2024RHES
Definite must see museum
Good museum layout which points out what was happening during different time periods of the invasion, shows how people responded differently to the invasion and makes you ask yourself what you would do. Plan on 2 hours. Good audio tour included.
May 11, 2024MarieliTX
Great underrated museum
This is a great museum. I highly recommend even if you're only somewhat interested in WWII history. Three things kept me from giving it a full 5. 1. It's big and a bit overwhelming toward the end. It's not something to breeze through in 45 minutes. It deserves 90 minutes (you could easily commit to 2+ hours if your interests are deep and you've the time) in order to hear some of the stories/explanations. Otherwise, why go? 2. I wanted to know more about the citizens' reconciliation process regarding collaborators in post-war years. A few personal stories begged a bigger picture. 3. I'd have appreciated an overt tie to Anne Frank House. And visa versa. These two museums are joined at the hip in so many ways it would be natural to cross tie just a bit so that there is a smooth transition between the two. Final thought: if you only have time to do one or the other, I can't blame you choosing Anne Frank. It's a greatest hit sight in Amsterdam. But this is a great companion if you can do both or consolation if you can't get to Anne Frank.
May 11, 2024491lizp
Wartime museum
Largely a history of how the Dutch nation coped with the German occupation of World War II and the moral conflicts involved. There is also a room about slavery and some reference to the war against Indonesia in the late 1940s.
May 2, 2024
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