At Plantage Middenlaan 24 in Amsterdam’s Jewish Cultural Quarter, the former Dutch Theater commemorates Jewish people persecuted during the Second World War. Many Amsterdam Jews were held here before deportation. Inside, documents, photographs and personal objects trace that history; names of victims appear beneath an eternal flame. Interactive displays include a model of Bergen-Belsen and interviews with survivors. The visit is quiet and reflective, with English information sheets available at reception. You can pair it with the Holocaust Museum across the street and other Jewish Cultural Quarter sites.
A theater turned memorial
The Dutch Theater, also known as the Hollandsche Schouwburg, is part of Amsterdam’s Jewish Cultural Quarter. During the Second World War, many of the city’s Jewish residents were held here before being sent to Westerbork and Nazi death camps. The building now commemorates the people who were persecuted and murdered.
The memorial’s restrained setting invites a quiet visit. On the main floor, the names of victims are displayed beneath an eternal flame. Documents, photographs and personal objects tell the history of persecution in the Netherlands.
Exhibits and survivor accounts
The displays continue across several floors. Interactive elements include a model of Bergen-Belsen, while a collection of survivor interviews gives space to personal accounts of loss and survival. English information sheets are available at reception, and a brief audio guide is also available in English and Dutch.
The memorial is one part of the Jewish Cultural Quarter. The Holocaust Museum is across the street, and the Portuguese Synagogue and Jewish Museum are also among the quarter’s sites. Adding another location can help put the theater’s history in the wider context of Jewish life and persecution in Amsterdam.
Perguntas frequentes
Where is the Dutch Theater memorial?
It is at Plantage Middenlaan 24 in Amsterdam’s Jewish Cultural Quarter. The Holocaust Museum is across the street.
What can you see inside the memorial?
Exhibits include documents, photographs, personal objects, victims’ names beneath an eternal flame, an interactive Bergen-Belsen model and survivor interviews.
Is information available in English?
English information sheets are available at reception. A brief audio guide is also available in English and Dutch.
Is the memorial wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The entrance is wheelchair accessible.
