Museum Willet-Holthuysen, Canal house museum at Herengracht, Netherlands.
Museum Willet-Holthuysen is a three-story canal house museum on Herengracht featuring rooms with period furnishings, art collections, and decorative objects arranged as they once were. An original kitchen with tiled walls reveals how domestic work happened in a wealthy household.
The house was built in 1685 for Amsterdam mayor Jacob Hop and received its Louis XIV facade in 1739. It opened as a public museum in 1895 after being filled with the collections of its later residents.
The rooms showcase the art collection of Abraham Willet and Louisa Holthuysen, including Dutch paintings, porcelain, and silver objects that reflect the taste of wealthy Amsterdam residents. Visitors can see how these people lived with and valued these works within their private spaces.
The museum is open daily throughout the week and easily accessible from the canal-side location. Children and young people enter for free while adult visitors pay an entrance fee.
The property includes a French-style garden with plant species and landscaping patterns from the 17th century that reflect wealthy Amsterdam tastes. This outdoor space provides a quiet retreat that contrasts with the busy canal-side setting.
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