Amsterdam’s Smallest Museum

Multatuli Museum is Amsterdam’s tiniest museum, just one room. Multatuli, pen name for Eduard Douwes Dekker was born here in 1820. He worked as a colonial official in the Dutch East Indies and is best known for his novel Max Havelaar in which he described relations between the Dutch and the natives.

But graft and corruption left him disillusioned. He returned to Amsterdam and wrote Max Havelaar, which made him famous overnight. Not only is it a highly critical work it, he also broke literary conventions. He told the story from several points of view and many readers complained that the structure was a mess.

The museum chronicles Douwes Dekker’s life and works. The one room is cluttered with letters, first editions and artefacts from his life, many from the East Indies (now Indonesia). His pen lies ready on his desk to be used. A bookcase bulging with books lines the wall. Near the window stands his chaise longue.

If you want to see what the man himself looked like, go to Torensluis, a continuation of Korsjespoortsteeg. Torensluis is the widest bridge in Amsterdam and adorned with a huge bust of Multatuli, which is Latin for; I suffered much.

Multatuli Museum
Korsjespoortsteeg 20
Amsterdam

Tuesday 10.00 – 17.00
Saturday and Sunday 12.00 – 17.00

photo credit: personal collection