One of the most prestigious museums about the Second World War in the Netherlands is the Resistance museum in Amsterdam.
On two days in July 2004 we were asked to dress up a special open-day around the subject of Dutch ID cards during the war and the forging of these by the resistance.
A small corner of the museum was dressed up with some props to suggest a wartime living room, a radio played a wartime broadcast, especially produced by us to sound as authentic as possible.
Our actors in their original wartime clothing inhabited this living room, telling the enthusiastic public about daily life and of course showing them their ID cards that they could hold in their hands in stead of just look at behind glass.
This event was a huge success and although it wasn't really museum weather, a lot of visitors showed up.

Click on one of the pictures to see a larger and colored version


Joeri, Erik and Caspar in front of the Resistance museum entrance.

A little corner of the exhibition room was decorated in 1940's style, we dressed it with some of our personal objects.

 

Hungerwinter 1944... Anne and her brother Matthijs look into a shop window...
Walking around the museum the children bring life to some of the displays.

 

Reading some of the 'Unie' propanda, what do they think about all the things they read about in that shop window?
Visitors could ask them questions like that.

 

This young visitor is having her photo taken for her fake ID card that she can later take home as a reminder of a very speciak day.

 

Caspar, Erik and Joeri are feeling right at home, who's that on the phone?

 

We from the museum thought is was a very successful day.
Very pleased, next Saturday we'll do it again!.
We are really happy about you coming again, it makes everything complete.

Till Saturday,

Elchien
Resistance Museum Amsterdam

Photo impressions;