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Dutch Institutions abroad

AMSTERDAM

Amsterdams Historisch Museum / Bibliotheek

Amsterdam Historical Museum / Library

Librarian Ms. J. van Gent, Ms N. Klaversma
Opening hours By appointment only
Conditions of use Consultation only
Services Reference assistance / photographic services / restaurant in the museum
WWW-site http://www.ahm.nl

Size 20,000 volumes, 130 current periodicals
Character and emphasis The library of the Amsterdams Historisch Museum was founded in 1969; its nucleus is the Dreesmann Collection, which had been purchased already in the 1960s with the purpose of establishing an 'Amsterdam Collection'. Thanks to this acquisition a large number of earlier imprints (the earliest ca. 1,700) are present in the library. The library reflects the museum's collection and supports its activities; it specializes in the history of Amsterdam, Dutch arts and crafts, applied arts in general, and museology.

Special collections

• Works written and/or illustrated by Jan and Caspar Luyken (1,500 volumes)
• The library of the Museum Willet-Holthuysen, Herengracht 605 (5,000 volumes), includes a good survey of 19th-century Dutch and French literature, heraldry, oriental art; its art-historical section is stored in the Institute for the History of Art of the University of Amsterdam.
• The library of the Nederlandse Tin Vereniging (the Dutch Pewter Association) on longterm loan
• Newspaper cuttings and documentation concerning the museum and its exhibitions

Access About one third of the collection on open shelves, the other part in closed stacks; the Willet-Holthuysen Collection by appointment only

Catalogues

• An automated catalogue, including also the holdings of the Willet-Holthuysen library Publications
• Catalogus der bibliotheek van het Museum Willet-Holthuysen, Amsterdam: s.n., 1896
• G.J. Koot and F. Kuyvenhoven, 'The "Willet-Holthuysen" Collection of Books', Art Libraries Journal 12 (1987), 1, pp. 32-38
• Nel Klaversma en Kiki Hannema, Jan en Casper Luyken te boek gesteld: catalogus van de boekencollectie Van Eeghen in het Amsterdams Historisch Museum, Hilversum: Verloren, 1999
• Quarterly list of acquisitions