National Slavery Museum in Amsterdam: A Model for Cultural Reconciliation and Inclusive Cultural Policy

Since 2017, the City of Amsterdam has led the initiative to establish the National Slavery Museum, set to open in 2030. Jointly funded by the City and the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture & Science, this EUR 115 million project aims to confront the Netherlands’ role in slavery, stimulate cultural reconciliation, and contribute to social healing and transformation.

A collaborative cultural vision rooted in Inclusion

A core principle guiding the museum’s development has been co-creation with affected communities. More than 5,000 people from across the Kingdom of the Netherlands and beyond—including the Caribbean, Suriname, Benin, and the U.S.—contributed to a participatory process to define the museum’s mission. In 2023, this effort expanded with 17 public meetings in the European Netherlands and additional sessions in Curaçao, Aruba, Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius, Saba, and Suriname. These engagements gathered input on the museum’s concept, location, and narrative, ensuring that diverse voices shaped its direction.

The consultations brought up different viewpoints. Some grassroots organisations advocated for a focus solely on trans-Atlantic slavery, while others called for broader inclusion of slavery in the Indian Ocean region and the Indonesian Archipelago. A unifying theme did emerge: unlike traditional museums centred on objects, this museum will prioritise oral histories, personal stories, and living heritage—placing human experience at the heart of its storytelling.

Telling the Dutch slavery story for cultural reconciliation

In 2024, the museum unveiled its business plan, titled Tell the Whole Story. This framework underscores a commitment to presenting the full, global history of Dutch slavery across five historical periods. The aim is to reveal how colonised societies and Dutch society evolved in connection to slavery—and how that legacy shapes the present.

By exploring the cultural, social, and economic consequences of slavery, the museum will promote understanding, awareness, and empathy among different communities. This storytelling is fundamental to its mission of fostering cultural reconciliation and contributing to a more equitable future.

Building cultural partnerships to embed justice and equality

Ahead of its 2030 opening, the museum has already begun activating cultural partnerships to build momentum and public engagement. In 2025, two major exhibitions were launched: Resistance against Slavery, in collaboration with the Resistance Museum Amsterdam, and Legacies of Dutch Slavery: Nine Stories, developed with the Dutch National Archives. Both are accessible online in multiple languages, reflecting the museum’s international scope and commitment to accessibility.

The museum will be located in central Amsterdam, adjacent to a park designed for healing and reflection. Beyond its exhibitions, it will house a research centre where descendants of enslaved people can explore their ancestry. Ongoing collaboration with heritage institutions in formerly colonised countries will be essential to the museum’s long-term success. These cultural partnerships will help ensure the museum’s work fosters justice, dialogue, and equality—both within the Netherlands and globally. With an expected annual attendance of 270,000 visitors, the National Slavery Museum aspires to be a dynamic space for education, memory, and change.