Hollandsche Schouwburg
Hollandsche Schouwburg
4.5
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Neighbourhood: Centrum
Amsterdam’s buzzing hub, with its sprawling network of tram rails and a seemingly constant flow of tourists and commuters, yields convenient access to some of the best sightseeing, shopping, and street life in Europe. Closest at hand are the Royal Palace, the quaint shops of Haalremmerdijk, the pedestrianized zones Kalverstraat and Dam Square with popular neighborhoods such as the Red Light District, and the Canal Ring hardly more than a moment’s stroll away. With the well-connected Centraal Station as Centrum’s base, it's easy to travel farther afield via one of the city’s iconic trams.
How to get there
- Waterlooplein • 8 min walk
- Weesperplein • 9 min walk
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4.5
144 reviews
Excellent
64
Very good
61
Average
12
Poor
5
Terrible
2
GretaTravels
Florida33 contributions
June 2024 • Solo
I stopped into Hollandsche Schouwburg, the concert hall that became a main deportation station, after visiting The National Holocaust Museum across the street.
The design of this museum is very impactful. What happened here especially hit home when I read the plaques on the walls that indicate what did - or didn't - happen to the people who lived in the surrounding houses.
If you're visiting other museums in the area, don't miss this. You can see it in an hour or less.
The design of this museum is very impactful. What happened here especially hit home when I read the plaques on the walls that indicate what did - or didn't - happen to the people who lived in the surrounding houses.
If you're visiting other museums in the area, don't miss this. You can see it in an hour or less.
Written 2 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
johnny wallman
Lake District, UK58 contributions
Nov 2019
Finding the National Holocaust Monument was a task to end all tasks. A note for fellow travellers: The monument is a structure but it is not in a park or by the side of the road, it is in a building, inside the National Holocaust Museum building itself. I must have looked on every piece of land, in every park before being directed to the museum. The building itself was once the Dutch Theatre built in 1892 in the Amsterdam Plantage district. In 1941 the Nazis changed the name to the Jewish Theatre, the only place Jewish musicians and artists could perform for a Jewish audience. From July 1942 until November 1943 the theatre was the site for the deportation of Jews from Holland to the Death Camps.
In 1962 a monument was erected in memory of the victims of the Nazi regime. A wall of remembrance at the entrance is engraved with the names of 6700 of the 104,000 Jews murdered. I think what with the hard time I had finding the place, the dull weather and the dark characteristics of the monument itself situated in the enclosed courtyard, this was the most somber site I had visited in Amsterdam. Upstairs in the museum was a fascinating exhibit 'Voices of the past' where five different eye witnesses returned to the period. Here also the debate on whether to show those awful images of the Nazi regime with a 'guest book' for visitors to offer their opinions. Like myself most agreed that however horrific, they need to be shown, lest we forget.
In 1962 a monument was erected in memory of the victims of the Nazi regime. A wall of remembrance at the entrance is engraved with the names of 6700 of the 104,000 Jews murdered. I think what with the hard time I had finding the place, the dull weather and the dark characteristics of the monument itself situated in the enclosed courtyard, this was the most somber site I had visited in Amsterdam. Upstairs in the museum was a fascinating exhibit 'Voices of the past' where five different eye witnesses returned to the period. Here also the debate on whether to show those awful images of the Nazi regime with a 'guest book' for visitors to offer their opinions. Like myself most agreed that however horrific, they need to be shown, lest we forget.
Written 25 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
carolb1592015
Kent, UK7 contributions
May 2019 • Friends
We were on our way to the Resistance museum and we noticed this Museum so decided to go inside. It was a very small museum and our first impression was not to continue and leave as it didn’t look very big. We are glad we decided to go in. It was very informative about the holocaust and the affect it had on the Netherlands. We were inside for nearly 2hrs, there was so much to see. The ticket also covered several other museums and lasted a month. We didn’t have time to visit anywhere else but would definitely go back there if we are in Amsterdam again
Written 7 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert S
Woodland, WA38 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
This former theater is where entire families of Dutch Jews were first collected before shipping to work or death camps. The children were understandably crying and distraught, so the Germans sent them across the street to a primary school and playground. Some of the talliers of families would purposefully under count children, writing 2 on the registration cards instead of 3 or 4. Next to the primary school was a teacher training college, and twice a day both trams stopped between the school and the theater at the same time, preventing the Germans from seeing across the street. Students would emerge from the college, throw a couple of children in a pram or a shopping cart, and spirit them away.
We think the man who told us about this was one of the 800+ children that were saved.
While the Anne Frank House tells the story of, eventually, betrayal and loss, the Jewish Theater tells a shining story of collective courage and success.
We think the man who told us about this was one of the 800+ children that were saved.
While the Anne Frank House tells the story of, eventually, betrayal and loss, the Jewish Theater tells a shining story of collective courage and success.
Written 30 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Don M
Avondale, AZ138 contributions
Sept 2019
Originally a theater, the Nazis changed the name to Joodische Schouwberg and was the only theater a Jew during WWII could visit. Turned into a collection point for deportation of Netherland Jews, there are several floors of photos, interviews, and even a kiosk for giving your opinion on whether or not they should show images of the horrible atrocities from the Nazis! Add this to your Anne Frank tour!
Written 19 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
YveFromDublin
Ireland1,676 contributions
Nov 2016 • Family
This museum tells the story of Jewish children murdered by the Nazis. The story of individual children is told through their possessions, they gave their possessions to their friends for safekeeping until their return after the war. The children never returned to collect their possessions as they were murdered by the Nazis. The museum gives a true sense of how their families were herded in groups and put on which can only be loosely described as trains to concentration camps were they died shortly after arrival. As with all stories concerning the war they are truly sad and heartbreaking to read. An installation of suitcases with names and dates represents the children who were taken and murdered. This is a small museum but well worth the visit.
We used I amsterdam cards for entry. See our 5 day itinerary attached and other reviews on Amsterdam.
We used I amsterdam cards for entry. See our 5 day itinerary attached and other reviews on Amsterdam.
Written 6 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
35yrdream
Perth, Australia272 contributions
July 2013 • Solo
Hollandsche Schouwburg Memorial. This was originally a well patronised theatre by the population who lived in the surrounding area, during WWII and the occupation of Holland it became the Jewish deportation depot to the death camps.
The outside has a lovely facade, as you enter, on the left is an alcove with an eternal flame and scroll upon scroll of surnames on the wall, that pay tribute to the 104,000 Jews that were sent to the death camps. Below the names are small niches, where visitors can leave a pebble in remembrance of a person, it would appear that the shrine has regular visitors due to the number of pebbles. I found this alcove very emotional.
Stepping from the alcove, back into the foyer, there is a very moving video which looks at a 16 month period of Jewish persecution. Walking outside, you are now in an open area which used to be the theatre; this was used as a detention area, prior to deportation. If I thought that the eternal flame alcove was emotional, then viewing the movie and detention point was more so.
Returning inside upstairs on the right hand side is a small theatre museum, and on the left hand side is small display which looks at the impact of occupation on the Jewish population. This was also very moving. Labelling is in Dutch but there are leaflets at the entrance to the room which you can borrow, these translate the information.
The building across the street was used as a nursery for Jewish children prior to being deported. There is a plaque on the building to this effect.
The excellent rating I have given this memorial is a reflection of the effect it had on me, out of all the buildings that I visited in the Jewish Quarter I found this one deeply moving, causing me the most emotion.
Entry by donation.
Photos OK, without the use of flash.
The outside has a lovely facade, as you enter, on the left is an alcove with an eternal flame and scroll upon scroll of surnames on the wall, that pay tribute to the 104,000 Jews that were sent to the death camps. Below the names are small niches, where visitors can leave a pebble in remembrance of a person, it would appear that the shrine has regular visitors due to the number of pebbles. I found this alcove very emotional.
Stepping from the alcove, back into the foyer, there is a very moving video which looks at a 16 month period of Jewish persecution. Walking outside, you are now in an open area which used to be the theatre; this was used as a detention area, prior to deportation. If I thought that the eternal flame alcove was emotional, then viewing the movie and detention point was more so.
Returning inside upstairs on the right hand side is a small theatre museum, and on the left hand side is small display which looks at the impact of occupation on the Jewish population. This was also very moving. Labelling is in Dutch but there are leaflets at the entrance to the room which you can borrow, these translate the information.
The building across the street was used as a nursery for Jewish children prior to being deported. There is a plaque on the building to this effect.
The excellent rating I have given this memorial is a reflection of the effect it had on me, out of all the buildings that I visited in the Jewish Quarter I found this one deeply moving, causing me the most emotion.
Entry by donation.
Photos OK, without the use of flash.
Written 31 May 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sheila P
Sydney, Australia91 contributions
Apr 2014 • Couples
From being a place of culture and entertainment as the Jewish Theatre of Amsterdam, the building became the collection point of Amsterdam's Jews prior to being deported to the death camps. 104,000 people passed through with most being sent to Sobibor (from which only 18 people returned) The remains of the building now serve as a memorial, explaining this history in a simple but meaningful way.
A fairly long film in either English or Dutch gives the sad details of many of the community who never returned. Interviews with survivors form the basis of the story highlighting the huge loss of life and the horror of the time.
A wall with the family names of all who passed through are a further testament to the destruction of a vibrant community.
The manager was extremely helpful and is happy to assist visitors who may be looking for information on their own family members who had been a part of the Amsterdam Jewish community.
Well worth a visit and it is only a short walk from the Portugese Synagogue and the Jewish Museum.
A fairly long film in either English or Dutch gives the sad details of many of the community who never returned. Interviews with survivors form the basis of the story highlighting the huge loss of life and the horror of the time.
A wall with the family names of all who passed through are a further testament to the destruction of a vibrant community.
The manager was extremely helpful and is happy to assist visitors who may be looking for information on their own family members who had been a part of the Amsterdam Jewish community.
Well worth a visit and it is only a short walk from the Portugese Synagogue and the Jewish Museum.
Written 20 April 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ken m
Stockport, UK4 contributions
It's the graceful anonymity of this place which makes it so poignant. This is not Auschwitz or the Anne Frank museum. When we visited we were more or less the only people here. We think its low key dignified approach makes it so much easier to appreciate its role in the horror of the Nazi ideology. Pay a quiet visit and reflect.
Written 3 October 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mtc
Los Angeles, California90 contributions
Sept 2019
I found the quiet simplicity of this memorial to the murdered Jews of the Netherlands heart-rending. I was particularly moved by the seemingly endless wall of family names of those deported from this former theater to concentration camps, and I was reduced to tears when I discovered on it the family name of one of my university professors, the son of Dutch survivors.
I very much recommend watching the films shown near the reception area. They poignantly and informatively present personal accounts of the World War II experiences of some Dutch Jewish families. Headphones attached to nearby benches allow you to sit and listen in English, while contemplating the enormity of Nazi depravity.
I very much recommend watching the films shown near the reception area. They poignantly and informatively present personal accounts of the World War II experiences of some Dutch Jewish families. Headphones attached to nearby benches allow you to sit and listen in English, while contemplating the enormity of Nazi depravity.
Written 27 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
L'ingresso al museo è sempre gratuito oppure fa parte di un pacchetto biglietti?
Written 23 November 2017
Avendo io il biglietto del Museo Ebraico non ho pagato
Written 24 November 2017
Estoy interesada en ver este museo, ¿alguien me podrÃa decir cuánto se tarda en recorrer? asà me organizo mejor el planing.
Muchas gracias!
Written 19 February 2016
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