Dutch Resistance Museum
Buy a pass to book this activity and start saving on your trip
- Your pass is valid for 1 year
- A central app for all your bookings
- Free Hop-on Hop-off bus included
Location
Essentials
- 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
Practical info
For more information and opening hours, go to verzetsmuseum.org
Accessibility
Getting there
Public Transport
The nearest stops are Waterlooplein (metro 51, 53 & 54) and Artis (tram 14).
Parking
You can park at a reduced daily rate with Qpark via this link.
About
The Occupation and the Power of Choice
What would you have done during the Second World War? Cooperate, collaborate, or resist?
At the Dutch Resistance Museum in Amsterdam, this powerful question lies at the heart of the experience. After the devastating bombing of Rotterdam in May 1940, the Netherlands surrendered to Nazi Germany. Overnight, daily life changed. German forces occupied the country, anti-Jewish measures were introduced, freedoms disappeared, and ordinary citizens were forced to make extraordinary choices.
The museum brings this turbulent period to life, focusing on the people who chose resistance, taking a great personal risk. Through personal stories, objects and displays, you’ll discover how courage, creativity and moral conviction shaped the Dutch underground movement.
Reviews
258 reviews
Lovely place to visit to learn more about the role of the resistance in Holland during the occupation
We walked here from our hotel, which took about 40 minutes through the lovely city. Entrance cost 17.50 Euros each and we were given a free electronic guide which is easy to use as you just tap on things around the museum to get more detail. Very easy to follow walkway and there are lots of places to sit and stop and take everything in. There is even signposting for the deaf on all the video displays. As we were walking round there were some school trips and everyone was respectful. Anyone interested in the Dutch Heroine (Hannie Schaft) will find out more about her story here. Lots of objects, photo's video etc and really well set out. There is also a small cafe which we visited fro lunch afterwards before we walked round the corner to a separate venue. Round the corner from this museum is another museum which the Germans used to gather everyone up before they were deported to god known where. This was done very secretively as the place was an old theatre so people came in, registered, sat and waited before being carted off to god known where, which usually meant the train station and last stop Auschwitz. If you visit the museum. walk back out the front door, turn right and walk about 100 yards down the road and turn left. One museum is on the right with the old cinema on the left.
VERZETS RESISTANCE MUSEUM, Amsterdam
I found this museum was amazing. I was given headphones and it took quite a few hours to go round and absorb everything. The museum was immersive with hands on experiences. Part of the museum was geared specifically for children. However, as an older adult ‘all’ the Museum was of interest to me. I found the sad thing being that not many people whose personal stories were told survived. I learnt so much about what happened to the Dutch people during the war which I did not know about. So was glad to be educated. There were lockers available for coats and bags. Although food is not served in the museum there was a cafe and a bar next to the museum. The museum was located in a perfect spot close to our hotel. I can highly recommend a trip to this museum. 😀
Must go to this musuem
This was another good museum in Amsterdam. This museum gave a nice overview of The Netherlands and how it was affected by World War 2. It had a lot of stories of individuals and how they were affected, but it also gave an overview of how it affected the whole country. Of course, with any musuem, it couldn't possibly cover everything, but it covers a lot. Give it a visit if you're in Amsterdam.
Definitely worth a visit
Definitely worth a visit. The Dutch Resistance Museum is excellent value and incredibly informative. The audio guide is really engaging, and I loved the videos and interactive elements throughout the museum. Everything is presented in a clear, thoughtful way that makes the history feel very real and personal. I learnt a lot and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting.
Must-visit Experience
The Resistance Museum is a must-visit. We loved our experience and found it incredibly eye-opening to learn about firsthand experiences during World War II and the courageous ways the Dutch resisted occupation. The personal stories are powerful, well presented, and make the history feel very real. Highly recommended.
Excellent - highly recommended
Fantastic museum - engaging, informative and very respectful. The staff are also very welcoming. I would highly recommend visiting.
Engaging and thought provoking
This was my third visit to the Verzetsmuseum, and this time I brought my 10 and 7 year-old sons. I was really impressed by how engaged they were, especially in the Junior Museum. The stories, activities, and interactive elements made the history easy to understand and meaningful for them. They were telling everyone about the stories at the end of the day, which tells me they were engaged and interested but not upset or traumatised by what they saw or listened to. Even after several visits, the museum remains powerful and informative, presenting the Dutch resistance in a clear and human way. An excellent museum for both adults and children. I highly recommend coming here if in Amsterdam.
Resistance Museum
A very well done presentation of the Dutch experience during WWII with personal stories of individual resistance members, collaborators, and victims.
History brought to life.
My wife, with her Dutch heritage, wanted to visit this museum to get a better sense of what her father and grandparents might have faced during WWII. It turned out to be a surprisingly moving and informative visit. The exhibition is fairly large and comfortably fills about an hour. You’re given an audio guide, and with a simple tap at each station you get clear explanations that help bring everything to life. Even though I’m not Dutch myself, I found it genuinely interesting and well worth the visit. There are lockers and bathrooms available, and the museum is conveniently located right next to the zoo.
One of the best museums I've ever been to
Very interesting. Ended up spending a good four hours here, which I had not planned to. The material is very well-presented - lots of multi-lingual videos, well-chosen artefacts, the right amount of explanation, clear themes and chronology. I didn't get confused or bored. It used the stories of real people to explore the dilemmas and choices people caught up in WW2 Netherlands faced. The free AV guide worked well for me and was nice and simple. You are allowed to go out and return on the same ticket (on the same day).
a visit to the resistance museum
This is a must visit attraction. The museum is very interactive with videos and audio guide. The section for the children is amazing. My son and I learned so much. We stayed there for 3 hours but we still missed out a few things due to time constraints. Having been brought up in France, we get one side of the story but we did not realise how much the Dutch had suffered. The museum gives you a true depiction of what it was like. We are from Newcastle in the UK. the staff were also very friendly because they offered to keep our suitcase during our visit.
Don’t miss it so informative
This is a fantastically informative experience with brilliantly told stories. It takes about 1-2 hours to get round if you stop at all the information centres but wow was it worth it. There is a restaurant attached to it which serves fantastic food and beers.
Lucky that the UK was never occupied
The museum is very well laid out. It covers the occupation 1940-1945 by the Germans. Do a bit of home work before you go, and every large and very small exhibits fall into place. Free lockers and audio hand sets. Hannie Schaft 1920-1945 a young girl who took the fight to the enemy with assassinations, murdered and buried in the Sand Dunes at Bloemendaal, near Haarlem along with over 422 victims. Her spects and automactic are on display.
Deeply moving exhibit
Comprehensive exhibit of the rise of nazi occupation and Dutch resistance during WWII with personal accounts of the people affected. People were faced with unfathomable decisions, to do things that in their heart they knew were wrong or risk their and their family's lives by following their conscious? The short films spaced throughout the exhibit provided the a great summary of the chronology of circumstances and events leading up to and through the German occupation, as well as the rise of resistance movement -- its leaders, strategies, and participants.
Great Museum
Very well done museum. It tells the story of the WWII German occupation on The Netherlands mostly by presenting the stories of individuals. We spend more than 2 hours in the museum and really liked the way the stories are told.
10 Stars - one of the most inspirational & informative museums in the world
Ten stars! We've visited museums all over the world and consider this in the top 5. Inspirational, fascinating, uplifting, disturbing, the museums displays, focusing on 130 individuals as examples of heroism (and in a few traitors) is extremely timely. Very accessible to people speaking a number of languages via easy to use devices. Tells the overall story of resistance via extremely compelling stories. Excellent book story with materials useful for children through adults. Deserves to be among the very most popular attractions in the city. This is a VERY inspirational place.
An Amsterdam MUST!
We decided to visit this museum (and also did their tram tour) as an alternative to visiting Anne Frank house. We were unable to get tickets to visit Anne Frank house and had read good things about the Resistance Museum online. While the story of Anne Frank is a tale of one family's experience, this museum provides a greater oversight of the resistance movement in Amsterdam. Both the tram tour and the museum provide historical context regarding the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. One of our favourite parts of the museum was the area dedicated to older children and students. Even if you aren't with children when you visit, don't bypass this section of the museum! It is beautifully developed; you will feel like you have been transported back 80 years to war-time Amsterdam. On a practical note, while visiting, as English speakers, we were able to access all of the written information in the museum as well as listen to audio components in English. We HIGHLY RECOMMEND this experience while visiting Amsterdam.
Fabulous, honest, thought provoking - a must.
We spent almost all day (5.5 hours) here with our two girls aged 9 and 11. It was so well put together and the audio info was very clear. The Junior Section was incredible and I would recommend it highly as a must do when visiting Amsterdam with children.
Fascinating, moving and educational - outside of the crowds.
A great option in Amsterdam for any history buff. Goes deep into the history of life during the occupation - especially the plight of the Jewish population. Deeply moving and educational - with lessons that resonate today.
Modern museum with interactive exhibits
This was definitely worth the visit. We arrived at 4pm and museum closed at 5pm. We had to rush through the end because they closed promptly on time. Definitely recommend allowing yourself 2 hours.
Cruelty and courage
Very well presented with thorough and detailed information. It was so interesting to hear the stories of the people involved and impacted. Who they were, what they did and what happened to them. A shockingly stark reminder of what people are capable of, both the good and the bad, and how important it is to always support understanding, acceptance and respect.
Sobering and Important
A comprehensive and moving account of the many faces of The Netherlands during World War II. It covers those who actively resisted the Occupation wholeheartedly and some who did so hesitantly. Some sat on the sidelines, while others dedicated their lives to Nazi ideology. There are saints, sinners and many in between. The museum is well-organized and primarily tells the story through the lives of people, though there are also a large number of artifacts that add a great deal to our understanding of this period. With democracy under enormous pressure by authoritarianism today, understanding what happened over eighty years ago is essential civic work.
Really compelling and interesting
Went with my 15 year old daughter and we allowed two hours. However, it was so interesting and there was so much to listen to and interact with that we easily could have spent 3-4 hours there. Really informative and loved that it was all built around personal recollections and experiences.
A great museum dedicated to the Dutch experience of the Second World War and the post-war period.
Verzetsmuseum (Resistance Museum) aims to tell the story of the Dutch resistance against German rule during the Second World War. The museum does this by exploring the personal stories of more than 130 people and examining the dilemmas that the Dutch faced during the occupation period. The Resistance museum includes a large amount of information not just about individual experiences, but also about the overall Dutch experience of the occupation. Part of the museum is also dedicated to looking at the post-war period and developments in the Dutch colonies of Indonesia, Suriname and the Dutch Carribean islands. These displays explore the more controversial history of decolonisation and the impact of the colonial past on the Netherlands up to the present day. Standard tickets to the museum cost €16 and you also get a free audio tour in Dutch, Dutch Sign Language, or one of several other European languages. I would say that even though the entry free is a bit steep, the museum is absolutely worth it as it really brings to life the Netherlands during the war and forces you to reflect on fundamental values such as freedom and tolerance. Also, if you're interested in the subject, you could easily spend a couple of hours in the museum.
An Important History Lesson Told in an Engaging Way
This museum chronicles the resistance of the Dutch people to Nazi occupation during WWII. It covers both the courageous and the traitorous with actual artifacts and modern technology. It’s interesting and heartbreaking.
Excellent
This was our second visit to the museum. We went on the English-speaking tram tour which was excellent (but only available during Summer). The tour guide was knowledgeable and had a great pace while remaining engaging throughout. On our return to the museum, we visited the Josephine Baker exhibition and the relatively new installation on the role of Dutch colonies in the war. Albeit fairly modest in size, both were well presented with the necessary tone and pitch for subject often excluded in dialogue around contemporary European History. This is a great Museum that we would highly recommend.
Great Museum
This was a fascinating museum and had so much that I didn't know about. It's very nicely done, and offers so much information. Definitely something to see in Amsterdam.
Incredibly Powerful!
Our visit to the Verzetsmuseum Amsterdam was a highlight of our trip to the Netherlands. We actually chose it over the Van Goh Museum and I have ZERO regrets. It was incredibly powerful, so thorough, and absolutely fascinating. We took our 12 year old daughter, and she was very engaged. It took about 2 hours to go through, and you really need that time to fully immerse yourself in the experience. Highly recommended!
Resistance wasn't futile!
What an amazing museum! I will admit I found myself very emotional with some of the stories. Very glad I found the place by accident.
Heartbreaking
OMG - I learned so much in school, about the war, but this Museum helped me recall and enlighten my memories. The world should not allow this ever happen again.
Captivating and thoughtfully curated exhibition
A small but mighty exhibition. We went with our 7 and 10 year old boys and each of us walked out saying it was one of the best museums we've been to. The junior exhibition was incredibly engaging for the kids and gave a very rounded and bitesized pieces of information around the war/resistance. Just as we exited, seeing the final photos, moved my eldest and I to tears. Thank you for educating our kids and hammering home the importance of peace and the need to compassion. We fully recommend this wonderful museum to all. A must visit.
Great museum visit for families with an interest in history.
A great museum for the full story of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Super informative, with lots of movies and audio stories at every step. Make sure to get the audio guide! They also have research books for kids, and the kids exhibit is really well done. Great place to visit for families with an interest in history.
Well worth a visit
Very interesting museum, and so much information. We spent a long time in there and are really pleased we chose this museum to visit. We also liked the references to the Dutch colonies, not something we knew much about. The layout and presentation was very good and made it easy to follow and maintain our interest.
Favorite Amsterdam experience!
Best museum I have ever been to. Interactive, informative-everything you would want in an experience. Staff were so friendly and helpful too.
Great experience for the whole family!
This was a wonderful museum filled with history but delivered in a way that kept the interest of every member of our family, age 10 to 60. I highly recommend!
A surprisingly good museum!
Surprisingly good museum. Had a modern feel to it with a mix of video and interactive stations all supported by an easy to use personal audio device that you can use to scan each station. Larger and more detailed than I was expecting with a couple of additional temporary exhibitions. I would highly recommended a visit, it was less busy than many of the better known museums.
Well curated
Captivating and well curated. There was a lot of information, and at some point, I was missing the resistance part of it all. But it is there, just a bit further in the museum. Also, I found the information about colonies and their resistance very interesting. Audio guide is included in the entry fee.
A Must See in Amsterdam
Perhaps one of the finest museums I have ever visited. Few people know the story of the Dutch Resistance to the German occupying forces in WWII. The exhibits are amazingly helpful and thoughtfully done. The English translation is spot on. One of the highlights is a 'kids' area that depicts the story of the Resistance through the eyes of children. If you go to Amsterdam, this must be on your itinerary.
Educational and very moving
Took my teenage daughter to this, as a history student she loved it. A very personal testament to those people who lived through a very tragic period of history in the Netherlands. What made it good was the audio and lots of interactive elements, together with the people, their stories, their bravery
Great Historical Perspective
Please don't miss this museum when visiting Amsterdam. It provides the Dutch perspective on the 5 year occupation of the Netherlands and Amsterdam by the Nazis. And it tells the story of the bravery of some of the Dutch people who stood up to the Nazis. Excellent museum.
Impressive museum, must see for every age
Impressive storytelling/museuem and a very well developed section for children. Stories told by different kids and different view points. A must see for everyone interested in history and as a remembrance to all the people sufferer in a stupid war.
Highly recommend!
Absolutely fabulous museum! Hand held devices to listen to all the information at each display in your own language, were brilliant. The silence in the museum as a result is actually quite moving and so respectful. 3-4 hours spent. Total eye-opener to the experiences and suffering and resistance of the Dutch people during the Nazi occupation. Highly recommend!
Well worth a visit if interested in Ww2 history
Really interesting and interactive museum. Well laid out and the write ups around the building about the artefacts are really well written.
Fascinating
Was not expecting this to be as big as it was, but it is so full of information and stories, you could easily spend all day here.
Great WW2 Info
We are WW2 buffs and made a point to walk to this museum and see its displays…they were excellent. Make sure you take your time and read the information attached to each window. They have done a great job helping you see the lives of these brave souls that fought the Nazis in WW2.
Excellent - highly recommended
This museum was at the top of my must-do list for Amsterdam, and it was fantastic. The displays and accompanying audio were excellent. I was so engrossed in seeing and hearing everything that my sister (who is more of a museum person than I am) abandoned me and went back to our rental accommodation. This museum serves a critical role in providing a record of history that should never be repeated.
Interesting museum.
This is a great museum and learnt a lot about times in the Netherlands during Nazi occupation. The audio sets are well worth using and easy to use. Learnt a lot about how difficult this period was for people - how going into hiding was such a challenge - and a great prequel to our visit to the Anne Frank house the following day. Highly recommend and well worth the money.
Utterly absorbing
Utterly absorbing museum about the Dutch Resistance during WWII. As described, the story is told through over 100 individual stories that made the collective. The stories and people cover all walks of life and every aspect of resisting an evil force. Truly a testament to individual courage spread across an oppressed society. Plan to spend 2-3 hours.
Don't Miss the Verzetsmuseum
I am so happy that I decided to go to this incredible museum on my last day in Amsterdam. In fact, I ended up spending two hours instead of the one I had intended simply to read carefully and view all the well-documented information. The audio speakers were easy to use and added to my visit. Thank you.
Totally Recommend, brilliant experience
If you have any interest in history and especially World War 2 then this place is a must see when you are in Amsterdam. I got completely lost in all of the audio stories and learned so much in my 2 hours there.
Most popular activities
Staff favourite
BODY WORLDS Amsterdam
14 pts
Save
Staff favourite
Amsterdam Icebar
23 pts
Save
Staff favourite
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Amsterdam
14 pts
Save
ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo
26 pts
Save
THIS IS HOLLAND
23 pts
Save
AMAZE Amsterdam
27 pts
Why choose Explore Pass?
- Flexible and simple
- Save up to 50% compared to standard prices.
- Free Hop-on Hop-off bus included
- A central place for all your bookings
- Valid for 1 year