National Museum of World Cultures, Ethnographic museum complex in Amsterdam, Leiden, and Berg en Dal, Netherlands
The National Museum of World Cultures is a museum network in the Netherlands with locations in Amsterdam, Leiden, and Berg en Dal. Each site has its own focus and holds collections of ethnographic objects and photographs from around the world.
The institution was formed in 2014 by merging three museums that had each built ethnographic collections since the 19th century. Bringing them together allowed the previously scattered holdings to be managed as a single body.
The museum displays everyday objects from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas and places them in the context of the people who made and used them. Visitors can see how objects tell stories about work, ritual, and community.
The three locations are spread across different cities, so it is worth checking which one best fits your route before you travel. Opening hours can vary between sites, so a quick check before visiting will save you time.
The museum runs a formal process for returning objects to their countries of origin and addresses its colonial past openly within its exhibitions. This approach remains rare in the museum world and makes it a reference point for other institutions.
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