Interesting neighbours
The Resistance Museum is located in the Plantage neighbourhood, a beautiful, largely 19th Century area to the east of Amsterdam’s city centre. The Plantage has an unique combination of water and greenery, culture and science, nature and fascinating architecture. Take a day trip here and discover the numerous museums, botanical gardens, television studios, tree-lined streets and the beautiful terraces along the water. Bordering on the old ‘Jewish Corner’, the neighbourhood is also closely connected with the history of the occupation and the resistance movement.
Artis Zoo
Across the road from the Resistance Museum, you will find Artis Zoo, the oldest zoo in the Netherlands, founded in 1838. People enjoy the 19th-century atmosphere of the gardens: the winding paths, majestic trees, the fascinating sculptures and the monumental historical buildings. Artis is a haven of peace and quiet right in the city centre of Amsterdam. In an area of 14 hectares (1,400 acres), around 700 animal species provide a magnificent overview of the entire animal kingdom.
www.artis.nl
De Burcht-Trade Union Museum
De Burcht, designed by the famous Dutch architect H.P. Berlage, was built in 1900 for the trade union of the – predominantly Jewish – diamond workers. Since 1991, it has been home to the Trade Union Museum. The museum tells the history of the Dutch trade union movement. It also includes displays of objects from the glory days of the Amsterdam diamond industry.
http://www.deburcht-vakbondsmuseum.nl/
The Hollandsche Schouwburg
From 1892 until 1941, the Hollandsche Schouwburg (‘Dutch theatre’) was the main theatre in the Amsterdam Plantage neighbourhood. It was renamed the Joodsche Schouwburg (‘Jewish Theatre’) in October 1941, and was ‘open only to Jewish audiences’. In September 1942, this theatre became a transit house used to gather Jews for deportation. In 1962 the Hollandsche Schouwburg formally became a war memorial, in remembrance of the Jews who perished under the Nazi regime. Engraved on a special Wall of Remembrance here are the family names of all the Jews from the Netherlands who perished during the Second World War. On the first floor there is an exhibition covering the persecution of Jews in the Netherlands.
www.hollandscheschouwburg.nl
Wertheimpark and Auschwitz memorial
The Wertheim park is a small, ¾ hectare (7,500 square metre) public garden, named after the Amsterdam entrepreneur and philanthropist Carel Wertheim (1832-1897). The central feature of the park is a grand fountain, dating back to 1898, with a plaque honouring Wertheim. The park also houses the Auschwitz memorial. This memorial was designed in 1977 by the famous Dutch writer and artist Jan Wolkers to commemorate those who died in the Auschwitz concentration camp. The memorial is constructed from broken mirrors to symbolise that since Auschwitz heaven has never been intact again. www.auschwitz.nl
Plantage aan het Water
More information on the Plantage and its many hidden treasures, see www.plantageaanhetwater.nl
