Joods Historisch Museum
Joods Historisch Museum
Joods Historisch Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Explore Jewish life in the Netherlands in these four superbly preserved monumental synagogues. From contemporary art to modern history: paintings, ceremonial objects, films and 3D presentations provide a full, up-to-date survey of Jewish religion and culture in the Netherlands over the centuries. The Jewish Museum features the Jewish Museum junior where children of all ages are encouraged to connect with Jewish culture.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Centrum
Amsterdam’s buzzing hub, with its sprawling network of tram rails and a seemingly constant flow of tourists and commuters, yields convenient access to some of the best sightseeing, shopping, and street life in Europe. Closest at hand are the Royal Palace, the quaint shops of Haalremmerdijk, the pedestrianized zones Kalverstraat and Dam Square with popular neighborhoods such as the Red Light District, and the Canal Ring hardly more than a moment’s stroll away. With the well-connected Centraal Station as Centrum’s base, it's easy to travel farther afield via one of the city’s iconic trams.
How to get there
- Waterlooplein • 2 min walk
- Nieuwmarkt • 7 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,089 reviews
Excellent
561
Very good
358
Average
122
Poor
35
Terrible
14
Becky H
Hastings, UK340 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
Visited this museum alongside the Portuguese Synagogue, as they are both included in the same ticket. The museum is across multiple floors initially covering different aspects of Judaism and then the next foor covering the history of Jews in Amsterdam. An audioguide is included which gives additional information on top of the reading across the museum. We spent a couple of hours and really enjoyed the museum
Written May 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robin K
2 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
If you’re going to be closed for Rosh Hashanah, you need to write that on your website, not just your front door. Schlepped through pouring rain to learn about the closure. You had Yom Kippur closure written on your website so we assumed the high holidays were accounted for. Bad job.
Written September 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
becklambert
Brighton150 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
Excellent museum with a big sweep of history - very informative. Learnt a lot here and definitely recommend if you want to learn more on the subject.
The restaurant was a welcoming quiet space to sit and reflect afterwards. It served typical delicious food and cakes. It was an added bonus to be able to try these.
Good shop with beautiful cards.
The restaurant was a welcoming quiet space to sit and reflect afterwards. It served typical delicious food and cakes. It was an added bonus to be able to try these.
Good shop with beautiful cards.
Written February 26, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I visited this place🇺🇸🇫🇷🇨ðŸ‡ðŸ‡¬ðŸ‡·ðŸ‡¬ðŸ‡§
Israel35,326 contributions
May 2023 • Solo
PROS
* Very informative and informational
* Incredible and truly massive amount of artifacts and exhibits
* Outstanding multimedia and exhibitional displays of Jewish ideas, philosophy, theology and daily ritual and spiritual life, with detailed descriptions of Sabbath and holiday celebrations
* Tremendous outline of Jewish history, specifically the Dutch one
* Housed in an old restored formerly functioning synagogue which has an ancient ritual bath
* Fantastic modern building
* State-of-the-art digital and electronic displays and exhibits
* Located in the "Jewish Cultural Quarter" next to the Portuguese syngagoue which is totally intact from 1675 and also three Holocaust sites
* There is a pleasant enough cafeteria with food offerings, some of which might be kosher
CONS
* The cost is 18 euro, but is combined with visiting the Portuguese synagogue
* Security, as at most/many places these days
* A lot of material to be absorbed and processed in one visit
"I VISITED THIS PLACE"...
...as part of my overall plan to see as much of Amsterdam as I possibly could in my short time there. This included for me of course the Jewish sites. I found the museum to be incredible- totally "brilliant" in its design and presentation. The amount of exhibits displayed and information conveyed is astonishing. The building and rooms are open and spacious and allow easy passage and exploration.
"I visited this place" during an incredibly hectic fruitful tourist day in Amsterdam, all accomplished on foot: the Anne Frank House, The Royal Palace, The Portuguese Synagogue, this museum, the Maritime Museum, the Auschwitz Holocaust memorial and the Carre Theater for my second-night-in-a-row performance of the Analogues.
WAS IT WORTH THE COST?
It's expensive, even with the Portuguese Synagogue included in the price, but this is a must-see place if you are interested or connected to Jewish stuff in general, and Dutch Jewry in particular.
WOULD "I VISIT THIS PLACE" AGAIN?
Sure
ADVICES
Have plenty of time- there is a lot to see and do here
FULL DISCLOSURE
"I visited this place" with the intention and plan to write a thorough complete and "helpful" review and to attach and submit many "helpful" photos here on tripadvisor, so if these did "help" you, please indicate that by tikking the "thumbs up" symbol. Thanks.
* Very informative and informational
* Incredible and truly massive amount of artifacts and exhibits
* Outstanding multimedia and exhibitional displays of Jewish ideas, philosophy, theology and daily ritual and spiritual life, with detailed descriptions of Sabbath and holiday celebrations
* Tremendous outline of Jewish history, specifically the Dutch one
* Housed in an old restored formerly functioning synagogue which has an ancient ritual bath
* Fantastic modern building
* State-of-the-art digital and electronic displays and exhibits
* Located in the "Jewish Cultural Quarter" next to the Portuguese syngagoue which is totally intact from 1675 and also three Holocaust sites
* There is a pleasant enough cafeteria with food offerings, some of which might be kosher
CONS
* The cost is 18 euro, but is combined with visiting the Portuguese synagogue
* Security, as at most/many places these days
* A lot of material to be absorbed and processed in one visit
"I VISITED THIS PLACE"...
...as part of my overall plan to see as much of Amsterdam as I possibly could in my short time there. This included for me of course the Jewish sites. I found the museum to be incredible- totally "brilliant" in its design and presentation. The amount of exhibits displayed and information conveyed is astonishing. The building and rooms are open and spacious and allow easy passage and exploration.
"I visited this place" during an incredibly hectic fruitful tourist day in Amsterdam, all accomplished on foot: the Anne Frank House, The Royal Palace, The Portuguese Synagogue, this museum, the Maritime Museum, the Auschwitz Holocaust memorial and the Carre Theater for my second-night-in-a-row performance of the Analogues.
WAS IT WORTH THE COST?
It's expensive, even with the Portuguese Synagogue included in the price, but this is a must-see place if you are interested or connected to Jewish stuff in general, and Dutch Jewry in particular.
WOULD "I VISIT THIS PLACE" AGAIN?
Sure
ADVICES
Have plenty of time- there is a lot to see and do here
FULL DISCLOSURE
"I visited this place" with the intention and plan to write a thorough complete and "helpful" review and to attach and submit many "helpful" photos here on tripadvisor, so if these did "help" you, please indicate that by tikking the "thumbs up" symbol. Thanks.
Written December 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ericgoldman
Mountain View, CA223 contributions
On my recent Netherlands trip, I wanted to understand why the Dutch were so tolerant of the Jews compared to all other Europeans. This museum did not directly answer the question, but it came close.
Amsterdam's Jewish community initially populated by Portuguese Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition. Amsterdam had already established its economy on trading, and the Portuguese Jews brought valuable trading contacts (especially with other Jews spread out as part of the Diaspora). Plus, Amsterdam itself was already composed of plenty of transplants.
Thus, a symbiotic economic relationship developed. The Portuguese Jews brought significant extra wealth to Amsterdam, and thus they were tolerated. I missed the time window to see the Portuguese Synagogue (it has limited hours), but given its importance to the Portuguese Jewish community, I wish I could have seen it. Ironically, at the same time the Portuguese Jews were ascending in the Amsterdam community, Catholicism was officially banned in Amsterdam--creating a bizarre situation where Jews were legal and Catholics were not.
Counterintuitively, then, the Sephardic Jews initially were the wealthy Jewish community. Meanwhile, the Ashkenazim Jews from Eastern Europe were poor, but the Portuguese Jews provided economic support for them, which in turn meant that the Amsterdammers tolerated the Ashkenazim as well. Eventually, the Portuguese Jewish community was economically ruined by the Dutch East India company's collapse, while the Ashkenazim Jews ascended in wealth and prominence and started providing economic support for the Sephardics. Eventually, the Holocaust destroyed the Amsterdam Jewish community.
If you're at all interested in Jewish history, especially Amsterdam’s unique relationship with the Jewish community, I enthusiastically recommend the museum. I allocated only 70 minutes; it would have benefited from 2 hours or more. Note that they close promptly at the designated hour, and in a poorly announced policy, they do not check out the (must-have) audio listening tour in the last hour.
Amsterdam's Jewish community initially populated by Portuguese Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition. Amsterdam had already established its economy on trading, and the Portuguese Jews brought valuable trading contacts (especially with other Jews spread out as part of the Diaspora). Plus, Amsterdam itself was already composed of plenty of transplants.
Thus, a symbiotic economic relationship developed. The Portuguese Jews brought significant extra wealth to Amsterdam, and thus they were tolerated. I missed the time window to see the Portuguese Synagogue (it has limited hours), but given its importance to the Portuguese Jewish community, I wish I could have seen it. Ironically, at the same time the Portuguese Jews were ascending in the Amsterdam community, Catholicism was officially banned in Amsterdam--creating a bizarre situation where Jews were legal and Catholics were not.
Counterintuitively, then, the Sephardic Jews initially were the wealthy Jewish community. Meanwhile, the Ashkenazim Jews from Eastern Europe were poor, but the Portuguese Jews provided economic support for them, which in turn meant that the Amsterdammers tolerated the Ashkenazim as well. Eventually, the Portuguese Jewish community was economically ruined by the Dutch East India company's collapse, while the Ashkenazim Jews ascended in wealth and prominence and started providing economic support for the Sephardics. Eventually, the Holocaust destroyed the Amsterdam Jewish community.
If you're at all interested in Jewish history, especially Amsterdam’s unique relationship with the Jewish community, I enthusiastically recommend the museum. I allocated only 70 minutes; it would have benefited from 2 hours or more. Note that they close promptly at the designated hour, and in a poorly announced policy, they do not check out the (must-have) audio listening tour in the last hour.
Written August 1, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MiouMiou
West Long Branch, NJ1,073 contributions
I do not have much more to add to the other reviewers excellent reviews of this museum, except to agree with them. What I found most poignant in the museum were the "exhibits" relating to World War II. It was looking at a history of a people almost vanquished, since after World War II's atrocities on the Jewish population of The Netherlands (and in fact for all of Europe) there were barely any Jews left, and most of those that did live through the Holocaust immigrated. Even the "museum" itself was comprised of buildings that at one time were Synagogues, but not have no further function as holy places since there are not enough Jews left in Holland to fill them. Yet, in the end this is an uplifting museum, because it does also celebrate the continuation of life and Jewish life such as it is in The Netherlands. Whether you are Jewish or not, the lessons learned from this museum are important for everyone. Do not miss this museum.
Written November 8, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
maynardophile
Chiswick, UK27 contributions
The museum is a brilliant representation of what was the Jewish community of Amsterdam. What makes the museum both special and uncomfortable at the same time is that this is not the story of heros and villians out of some hollywood movie. The truth that this museum tells is of a Jewish leadershio tricked into cooperation with the nazis, of a Dutch society who did very little to acknowledge the betrayal of their jewish nieghbours. The museum tells the story of returning Dutch jews who left in droves after the war. This is in stark contrast to the hero worshio of the Dutch Jew-savers memorialised in not one, but two monuments erected by the city outside. These are unbelievable edifices of hubris and cheek of behalf of the non-Jewish Amsterdamers. In the moral test of who actually saved jewish lives in WWII, the Danes were top of the European class, saving 99.2%. They have NO memorials to their heroism, none, not one. But in Amsterdam the Dutch have TWO. And what was their score? 25%. Right at the bottom of class. That by any standard is an absimal failure. In any classroom the Dutch would be in the corner wearing a duncecap, not awarding themselves a goldstar. So maybe some of the visitors who reviewed the musuem negatively and who, by contrast loved the Anne Frank musuem, don't like their little fairytale disturbed by the unvarnished truth. Wake uo darlings, remember that at the end of the cozy little story in the attic, Frank was betrayed by a Dutchperson. In her death, not her hiding, she is a real representative of Dutch Jews, 75% of which were sent to the deathcamps, one of the highest murder rates in all of Europe. This is the real story and the Jewish Historical Museum has the courage to tell it.
Written July 16, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greg Simpson
Minot, ME42 contributions
Sep 2019
Being history buffs my wife and I have been to the Holacast Museum in Wasington DC and wanted to see how this museum depicted the horifying part of our history. The depictions were painful to watch but presentation was exquisite...
Written September 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeff H
Inverness, UK39 contributions
Aug 2019
Highest quality museum making a narrow painful subject accessible and valuable. Amazingly skillful multimedia giving you the choice of going deeper or not. Beware - you will need your mind and your heart for this one. The Kabbalah mystical stuff is not for everyone - but it reveals a lot about the historical Jewish community.
Written August 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandy S
Albuquerque, NM1,038 contributions
May 2019
Housed in the old (1671) Askenazi synagogue, this well-done museum chronicles Jewish life in the Netherlands from 1600 to the present. The 17th through 19th Century section chronicles the different circumstances of the wealthy Jewish merchants and colonial planters (including slavers and slave owners), industrialists, book publishers and diamond cutters, who rose to the upper levels of the city's social and political life, and the later arrivals from Central and Eastern Europe, many of whom lived in poverty. Portraits of the rich, paintings of street scenes, and selected artifacts are placed in clear context. The part of the museum devoted to the 20th Century includes a lot of art, from sober portraits to posters for charitable appeals and one exuberantly promoting a cabaret revue. Individual monitors allow visitors to access videos on various topics, while film clips of street life, weddings, and other depictions of life play on the walls. Texts note that the Nazis deported and killed three-quarters of the Netherlands' Jews and explained some of the related circumstances. However, this Anne Frank's life before her family went into hiding and of her father's thinking in relocating the family to Amsterdam. Across the street is the elegantly decorated Portuguese synagogue, built in 1675 as competition.
Written May 22, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Les oeuvres de Charlotte Salomon sont-elles en votre possession ? Si oui, sont-elles visibles ?
Written October 4, 2019
Hello, my friend. We are seniors from NYC and want our granddaughter to enjoy Ann Franks House this summer. If the tour you took okay for a 14 year old. I love her but if she is bored, oy vey!! Thanks You reviewed a pretty expensive tour combined Ann Frank's House and Jewish Museums. My granddaughter is of a mixed religion family, her daddy, my son, Jewish, her mother, Christian. So I don't want to bore her but I do want to see it myself. It is it sad tour?? I read her book when I was in school, i a prejudiced area of Long Island, New York Our principal did not want us to read the book though, because he thought it was 'inappropriate' material for young people. Anne had just gotten her period! So I hope to make this mission for my granddaughter more rewarding a better learning experience.
Written March 29, 2019
The tour is ok. Visit also the Portugese synagoge
Written March 29, 2019
I will be checking out from my lodging earlier and would love to visit this place before going to Brussels around 230pm or 3pm. Is it possible to carry my bagpack or ground luggage around in the museum? Thanks.
Written January 8, 2018
They have guards to check bags, with small lockers in the entrance for something the size of a backpack. For a roller suitcase, you would need to contact them if they will watch it for you.
Written January 8, 2018
Buongionro, una domanda se faccio il biglietto da 15€ con l'ingressa alla sinagoga e il museo quanto tempo impiego per fare il giro completo? grazie
Chiara
Written November 20, 2017
Solo per il Museo e la Sinagoga calcolerei almeno due ore abbondanti, per il giro completo di tutta la zona almeno mezza giornata. Ciao
Paolo
Written November 20, 2017
What exhibits will be closed on September 28 or 29, 2017? Thanks.
Written August 14, 2017
Jewish Avant-Garde Artists from Hungary will be closed on september 24. 2017
Written August 15, 2017
What exhibits will be closed on September 28 or 29, 2017? Thanks.
Written August 14, 2017
JCKamsterdam
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Thank you for your message. The following exhibitions will be open on September 28 or 29.
In the Jewish Historical Museum:
-Jewish Jukbox
In the National Holocaust:
-Almost Lost in History. Rediscovering the photography of Annemie and Helmuth Wolff.
-Tangible Memories from the Jewish Monument
-In Memoriam by Willem Volkersz
Written August 15, 2017
es un museo con acceso tranquilo en el mes de agosto o es mejor llevar ya las entradas reservadas por internet? gracias.
Written August 8, 2017
JCKamsterdam
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Le aconsejamos que comprar un billete con antelación
Written August 11, 2017
è possibile vedere solo la sinagoga portoghese? merita una visita?
Written July 4, 2017
JCKamsterdam
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
We have a one ticket policy. With one ticket you can visit all locations including the Portuguese Synagogue, Jewish Historical Museum, Children's Museum, National Holocaust Museum (in development) and Holocaust Memorial (Hollandsche Schouwburg).
Written July 10, 2017
Does the Children's Museum still offer the challah-making activity? How long does it take and would it be appropriate for a 4 year old (very mature for her age)?
Written April 27, 2017
they were stil doing this when i visited late last year:)
Written April 28, 2017
I've visited the museum before, years ago, and found it very impressive. Unfortunately I cannot remember whether the majority of the museum is wheelchair accessible or not? We have friends visiting and we are looking for an alternative to the Anne Frank House, which is unwilling to work with us on ideas for wheelchair users utilizing more of the museum.
Written April 23, 2017
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