Museum Willet Holthuysen

Museum Willet-Holthuysen tells the story of the prosperous couple Abraham Willet (1825-1888) and Louisa Willet-Holthuysen (1824-1895). Abraham and Louisa were the last inhabitants of this monumental premises on the Herengracht. Their shared passion for art contributed to a wonderful 19th century collection which is still on view in their house.

Museum Willen Holthuysen

When you pass Herengracht 605 you might not even think twice about the history of this double fronted town house. It was built in 1687, at the end of the Golden age, and has been occupied by various families. All families that lived here where very wealthy as commoners couldn’t afford to live in a house like this on one of the most prestigious canals of the city. Abraham Willet and his wife Sandrina Louisa Geertruyda Holthuysen, who lived here from 1861 to 1895, where no exception to this rule. Their lives feature strongly throughout the museum showing you what life was like for the wealthy many centuries ago.

The museum: a look inside

When you enter the Willet Holthuysen Museum you will get an instant feel for the wealth and life at the time. The last owners of the mansion really had a luxurious lifestyle and great taste when it comes to interior decorating. It is the only canal house that is open to the public with still so many original details still in place. It was opened a year after the death of Mrs. Willet-Holthuysen and has been a museum ever since.

The beautiful dining room, elegant ballroom, magnificent bedrooms and lavish gardens are a window into an opulent past with a characteristic Louis XIII style. The kitchen of the Willet House features an impressive display of dining items from the 18th and 19th centuries, including a collection of fine blue and white Delftware porcelain. The large gardens at the back of the Willet Holthuysen Canal House Museum were reconstructed in 1972 in a French-style symmetrical design. The Willet Holthuysen Canal House Museum has several paintingsby famous Dutch artists of the era, most notably those of Adriana Johanna Haanen and Jacob de Wit.