Tot Zover is a museum in Amsterdam about death and funeral rituals. The small museum is located in De Nieuwe Ooster, a large arboretum park with a monumental cemetery located in the south of the city. Book Tot Zover Museum tickets here
Its full name is the Nederlands Uitvaart Museum Tot Zover, translated as the Dutch Funeral Museum ‘So Far’. The 19th century building is the former cemetery director’s house and a small modern foyer wing has been added.
The museum hosts a variety of thought-provoking permanent and temporary exhibitions and handles the subject of death, mortality and funerals in an open, direct and respectful manner – often injected with a dose of humour.
The museum has a collection of some 2,000 objects around the basis of 4 main themes – Rituals, The Body, Mourning & Remembrance and Memento Mori (a symbolic or artistic reminder of death).
The highlight of the museum is probably the Ritual room which contains 7 open coffins that represents how different cultural groups in the Netherlands deal with death.
Another room features the (messy) space left behind by a recently departed person.
There is a visual installation area whilst a short film can be seen in the main corridor.
Highlights of the collection include model hearses, death masks, hair memorials from the 18th and 19th century, artistic urns and various artwork and photography. Labelling is in Dutch with some English translations.
The museum can be seen in under an hour. For Dutch speakers there is a free audio tour included.
Guided tours are available in English for up to 15 people and cost €90 plus entrance admission – this should be booked in advance.
For a drink or snack, Café Roosenburgh is located in the museum foyer.
A visit to the Tot Zover Museum is recommended if you enjoy unique and quirky museums. It is an opportunity to get off the main tourist trail in the centre of Amsterdam and also visit the beautiful surroundings of the cemetery park.
Tot Zover Museum Essential Info
| Opening Times | 1100-1700 (Wed-Sun), closed Mondays and Tuesdays. |
| Admission Prices (2024) | €11 for adults, €6 for 65+, children 13-18 and students. FREE entry to children 0-12, Museumkaart and Iamsterdam City Card holders. Book Tot Zover Museum tickets here Alternatively, order the Iamsterdam City Card online here which includes free entrance and transport to the Tot Zover Museum. |
| Getting There | From Amsterdam Central Station take tram 14 to Alexanderplein and change to tram 19 (direction Diemen) to the Kruislaan stop. The museum is located 2 mins walk from the tram stop just inside the entrance to ‘De Nieuwe Ooster’ cemetery. From Amsterdam Amstel station you can walk (15 mins) or take GVB bus 40 (direction: Muiderpoortstation) to Kruislaan. |
Tot Zover Museum, Kruislaan 124, 1097 GA Amsterdam
T: +31 (0)20 694 0482, totzover.nl
Last updated 10 January 2024, first published in 2021.
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