Teylers Museum: Cabinet of Curiosities

One of my favourite things to do while travelling is to visit museums. There’s just something about wandering through an old building filled with beautiful, fascinating objects that really speaks to me. Of course, museums come in many shapes and sizes and not all of them fit that mould. But, while I appreciate museums of all types, I would be lying if I didn’t admit that the ones I like best are those that do match that idealized vision in my head. I was reminded of this on a recent trip to the Netherlands where I encountered just such a museum.

Historic Haarlem

During my trip, I stayed in Haarlem which is located just outside of Amsterdam. Haarlem is a lovely city with a rich history. My decision to base myself in Haarlem instead of nearby Amsterdam was largely a financial one, the hotels there being a fraction of the price. That being said, it ended up being one of the best decisions I made for the trip. I quickly fell in love with Haarlem’s peaceful streets, charming canals and classic Dutch architecture. Only a quick 15 minute train ride from Amsterdam, and with train access to all major cities in the Netherlands, it’s a great alternative to staying in Amsterdam if you’re looking for a quieter option or to save a little money.

Haarlem is home to the Netherlands’ oldest museum, so of course, I had to pay it a visit. The Teylers Museum opened in 1784 and has been continually operating ever since. Parts of the historic building remain largely unchanged, giving it that classic museum vibe that I love. The eclectic collection includes natural history specimens and scientific artifacts alongside works of art, a tradition which harkens back to some of the earliest museums in Europe.

A Brief History of Museums

The word museum comes from the Greek mouseion meaning seat of the muses. In the ancient world these were centres dedicated to learning about arts and science. They were more akin to our modern day universities than to what we would now call museums. The focus of these institutions was to promote learning, however, they did not include any kind of collection which would come to be a defining feature of the modern museum.

During the Renaissance, collecting interesting and unusual objects became popular among European aristocracy. This gave rise to wunderkammern or “wonder rooms” (also known as cabinets of curiosities) which first appeared in the 16th century. These were extensive private collections, often taking up entire rooms, which contained a wide range of objects.

Collections commonly included both naturalia (objects from the natural world) and artificalia (man-made objects) and they had little to no formal cataloguing or organization. Proud collectors would delight in showing off their treasured acquisitions to guests and the cabinet of curiosities became something of a status symbol among the elite.

As Europe moved into the Age of Enlightenment in the 18th century, there was a shift in the way people approached learning. The pursuit of knowledge and an interest in understanding the world through science and reason came to the forefront. It was during this era that many private collections began opening up to the public in the interest of providing learning opportunities for all. Some of these collections went on to form the basis of Europe’s most prestigious museums including the British Museum which was established in 1753 and the Louvre which opened to the public in 1793.

Enlightenment Ideals

The Teylers Museum was established in that same tradition of Enlightenment principles. Pieter Teylers was a wealthy 18th century Haarlem resident who bequeathed his fortune and his home to establish a foundation for the promotion of science and the arts. In 1779, one year after his death, the foundation commissioned a room to be built behind Teylers’ home to display his extensive collections. The Oval Room opened to the public in 1784 and thus the Teylers Museum was born. This spectacular room with its wood and glass cabinets remains the centrepiece of the museum to this day.

The Teylers Museum is relatively small but it packs a punch. It’s made up of 12 themed galleries containing fossils, minerals, scientific instruments, paintings, prints, books, and so much more. In keeping with the 18th century atmosphere, the displays are illuminated only by daylight from the windows. As such, the museum is best appreciated on a sunny day.

Scientific Advancements

Up until the early 20th century, the Teylers Museum was also a place where scientific research and experimentation was conducted. Nobel Prize winner, Hendrik Antoon Lorentz even had his own laboratory in the museum where he was visited by great scientists of the day, including Albert Einstein who was a great admirer of Lorentz’s work.

One of the museum’s most intriguing artifacts is its large electrostatic generator which is as old as the museum itself. It was designed by museum director and physicist Martinus van Marum and installed in the newly constructed Oval Room in 1784. It was the largest instrument of its kind at the time and Van Marum used it to conduct electricity demonstrations for awestruck museum visitors. In 1811, Napoleon even payed a visit to the Teylers Museum to see the device in action.

The Past Meets the Present

In December 2021, after years of painstaking renovations, the museum unveiled its newest wing – the Pieter Teylers house. Now open to the public as part of the museum, the historic home of the museum’s founder features beautifully preserved 18th century interiors. Visitors can now get a glimpse inside the world of 18th century Haarlem and of Pieter Teylers, the man whose desire to put the ideals of the Enlightenment into practice, made this wonderful museum possible.

The Teylers Museum is a veritable treasure trove brimming with a fascinating array of artifacts as diverse as the cabinets of curiosities that came before it. Everything from fossils to coins to scientific contraptions that look like they’ve been plucked from the lair of some mad scientist. This timeless museum embodies the principles espoused by Enlightenment thinkers who sought to build a better society for all through the promotion of art, education, and scientific discovery. The ideals of the Enlightenment are alive and well at the Teylers Museum and for history lovers, it is not to be missed.

Further Reading

• Teylers Museum website: https://www.teylersmuseum.nl/en
• Visit Haarlem: https://www.visithaarlem.com/en
• History of museums: https://www.britannica.com/topic/museum-cultural-institution/The-precursors-of-museums