Verzetsmuseum Amsterdam - Museum of WWII Resistance — Attraction in Amsterdam

Visited the "Verzetsmuseum Amsterdam - Museum of WWII Resistance" on Sunday just as they opened at 11 a.m.

You can only pay by card, they don't accept cash. Since that is the case, it's just as easy to buy the ticket online and just show it instead of buying it there. (I bought my ticket online, while waiting for the museum to open.) As far as I know there is no surcharge if you buy the ticket at the counter in the museum.

The audioguides are included in the ticket fee. There is a range of languages they offer (I can for sure say, I saw Dutch, English, Spanish) but I am fairly certain they have more.

The museum itself is quite compact, but the audio guide / description make a great experience.

There is a main "line" you follow marked on the floor, but there are a lot of different little rooms and nooks that you can walk into and listen to something more in depth.

I really appreciated the fact that they showed a lot of different aspects regarding the Netherlands in World War 2. They show sympathizers of the nationalsocialistic ideology of the Germans, they show people of the resistance and the different roles involved (from messengers to spies to assault troops and more). Furthermore they show traitors within all ranks, their story and fate. The deportation of the jewish people as well as talks about the genocide are also displayed and explained.

A great addition is the role / fate of their former colonies in a seperate part of the exhibition.

It took me a bit over 3 hours to through the entire thing while listening to all audioguided parts and reading.

If you are interested in history and the role of the Netherlands during the 2nd World War I can very much recommend this museum, is well worth the price!

The one thing I would like to see improved is the way they organize their audioguides. There are some audioguide spots which interefere with each other and couses the audioguide handpiece to restart...

It is an interesting museum. It contains individual stories of Dutch people during WW2. There are many things that I did not like in the museum,

The stories are too unrelated from each other. They could have been organised and placed better. Each story is approximately 1 page long.

I am a museum freak and I visited almost all the war museums in Poland. There are only few left. I had been to Auschwitz multiple times. So I know what is good museum and what is not.

Most of the stories in the museum were very normal situations and do not have importance to be registered in historical events. Most of them are not tragic, I am reading hundreds of news everyday and most of them are way more tragic than the stories in this museum (except for Jewish people, we all know what they had been through, I am talking about regular Dutch people here)

There were stories like;

A Dutch girl (13 years old) falls in love with a Canadian soldier, she lied and said that she is 17. The soldier did not believe her. Soldier told her to visit him in Canada. He shared address but afterwards, the lady never been to Canada .

Story ends here.

I was surprised to see such anecdotes in a museum. In a resistance museum especially. This story was occupying quite a space in the museum.

You can get bored quickly in this museum.

I recommend visiting “Museum of the second war” and “Museum of European Solidarity Center” in Gdansk, Poland and “Warsaw uprising museum” in Warsaw, Poland if you want a real 2nd war museum.

Good things about this museum were,

-design. It was good that they placed many props to draw attention to topics.

-Ending part where they connected the concept to today’s dictatorships and peoples stories who fled from countries recently and living in Netherlands. It was a nice touch.

Entrance is €14 p.p. But I would give max €8...

The Verzetsmuseum (Dutch Resistance Museum) is an incredibly moving and educational experience, offering deep insight into one of the most challenging periods of Dutch history during World War II. The museum takes you on a journey through the lives of ordinary people who were forced to make extraordinary decisions as they faced occupation, persecution, and war.

The exhibits are well-organized and presented in a way that balances historical facts with personal stories, making it easy to connect emotionally with the people who lived through that time. The displays include everything from authentic artifacts and documents to interactive exhibits, making the experience both informative and engaging.

One of the highlights for families is the Junior Tour, which is perfect for children. The tour is designed to be interactive and accessible, making complex historical topics easier for younger audiences to understand. My son loved it and gave it a solid 9.3 out of 10!

One of the most compelling parts of the museum is how it showcases the moral dilemmas faced by individuals and families during the occupation. People had to decide whether to collaborate, resist, or remain passive, and the museum presents these choices without judgment, allowing visitors to form their own understanding of what it meant to live under such circumstances.

Tip: I recommend allowing at least two hours to fully explore the museum. It can be quite busy, especially on weekends, so consider visiting during a quieter time if possible. Additionally, there is an excellent audio guide available in multiple languages, which adds an extra layer of depth to the experience.

Whether you are a history enthusiast or looking to understand more about the Dutch resistance during WWII, the Verzetsmuseum is a must-visit in Amsterdam, especially for...