Wereldmuseum Leiden (World Museum), Leiden (must see)

The National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden, now known as the World Museum (Wereldmuseum Leiden), is a premier Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands. Located in the historic university city of Leiden, it is a cornerstone of the National Museum of World Cultures, alongside its sister institutions in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Established with a mission beyond the simple accumulation of curiosities, the museum has consistently emphasized scientific research, public presentation, education, and cultural preservation since its inception.

The museum's origins date back to 1816 with the Royal Cabinet of Rarities in The Hague. In the 1830s, Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold contributed around 5,000 Japanese artifacts, forming the core of the museum’s collection and cementing Leiden as a center for ethnographic studies.

The museum officially opened in 1837 under the name Ethnographic Museum (Museum voor Volkenkunde). Its early collections also included significant acquisitions from Jan Cock Blomhoff and Johannes Gerhard Frederik van Overmeer Fischer, whose contributions were merged with Siebold’s gift to form a comprehensive representation of Japanese culture. These collections were drawn from Japan's isolationist period when foreign trade and interaction were confined to the island of Dejima.

Siebold’s influence extended beyond Leiden. In 1843, he advocated for the establishment of ethnographic institutions across European colonial powers, seeing them as crucial tools for understanding colonized peoples, fostering public interest, and enhancing trade relations. His vision shaped the museum's mission to provide deeper insights into global cultures.

Today, the museum’s collection spans the globe, with artifacts from Africa, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Latin America, North America, Oceania, and Asia. These objects illustrate the historical evolution of diverse cultures and underscore the museum's commitment to representing humanity's shared heritage.

Rebranded as World Museum (Wereldmuseum) in 2023, the institution continues to engage audiences with its vast and evolving collections. Its legacy as the first European museum to present ethnography as a scientific and cultural pursuit remains central to its identity. By connecting past and present, the museum inspires dialogue and understanding of world cultures, making it an invaluable resource for researchers, students, and the public alike.