Bijbels Museum in Amsterdam
The Bijbels Museum (Biblical museum) is located in two beautiful historical buildings at the Herengracht. It was designed by the renowned architect Philip Vingboons in 1662. At the back of the houses you can still see a kitchen from the 17th century, that has been perfectly kept. These houses are now a beautiful backdrop for the unique collection of the Bijbels Museum.
Once inside, you embark on a fascinating journey, which guides you through the rich history of one of the oldest and most read books. The collection shows the degree to which Dutch society has been influenced by the Bible through the ages. You will get to know everything about the history, the contents and the influence of the Bible.
A large amount of archeological and religious objects make up the collection of the Bijbels museum. It also houses many models of temples. The masterpiece however is the world famous, 19th century 'Tabernakel' (tabernacle) of reverend Leendert Schouten. This is a portable reconstruction of the original Tabernacle, which was built by the Israelites when they left Egypt. Many original materials have been used to create this reconstruction, such as goat hair from Syria and sand from the Sinai desert.
The Bijbels museum also shows the first Bible that was printed in the Netherlands in 1477, as well as the first print of the Statenvertaling (authorised version), which dates from 1637.
