The Museum of the Mind is fascinated by the work of art inside your head. Because nothing is as diverse, unique, powerful and yet so fragile as the human mind. Through its art and cultural programs, the museum helps to bring mental health and neurodiversity into the open.
The Museum of the Mind, European Museum of the Year in 2022, is in a serious financial crisis and is in danger of having to close its doors this month. A new crowdfunding campaign is looking for sponsors – large and small – to prevent closure. Museum of the Mind makes an urgent appeal to the business community, fans and government to provide financial support to keep the doors open. You can donate once or annually via the museum’s website: https://museumvandegeest.nl/steun/.
Museum of the Mind has two locations; one in Haarlem and one in Amsterdam. In Haarlem you can discover more about your own mind and those of others in an interactive way. In Amsterdam you can see exhibitions with outsider art, in which artists show their imaginative inner world. All tickets can be purchased online in advance.
In this historical building, you will get to peek inside the minds of artists, writers and scientists. The museum invites you on an interactive voyage of discovery into your own mind, and those of others.
Museum of the Mind is a museum bursting with personal stories, surprising art and an expansive historical collection, straddling the boundaries between healthcare, art and science. A visit to the museum is an experience focused on the wonder and versatility of the mind. Come visit and allow yourself to wonder about what is normal. Are you normal?
The interactive (audio) tours are available in Dutch and English.
In Museum of the Mind | Haarlem you will also find the art experience Room to Breathe. This unique space invites you to experience art in a conscious and profound way that contributes to your mental health.
On the wall hangs Garden of Earthly Delights by Ria Mul, a work inspired by the famous painting by Hieronymus Bosch. As you explore this colorful work of art, you will be guided by the voice of mindfulness trainer Jolien Posthumus. The audio helps you explore the artwork and space around you using mindfulness and meditation techniques based on scientific research.
Museum of the Mind | Haarlem is situated in a unique medieval building: the former lepers-, plague and madhouse. For years the building lay outside the city walls of Haarlem, sheltering the ‘insane’ and people with contagious diseases such as plague and leprosy.
Go back in time and visit one of the very few remaining isolation chambers in Europe, dating from the 16th century. What does it feel like to be locked away in such a dark and confided space?
Museum of the Mind | Haarlem was rewarded with the European Museum of the Year Award 2022.
The exhibition Who Cares? explores the history of healthcare during World War II. Museum van de Geest | Haarlem tells the story of forgotten victims and hidden heroes within psychiatry and care for people with intellectual disabilities during the war. These stories revolve around despair, resilience, fear, and perseverance. Writer and program maker Splinter Chabot guides you through this powerful history via an audio tour, sharing what moves him in both the past and present.
The Route to Freedom: An Open Mind
On the occasion of 80 years of freedom, you can follow the special Route to Freedom at the Museum van de Geest. It begins with the exhibition Who Cares? which highlights the forgotten victims and hidden heroes of World War II. As you walk through the museum, an artwork in each room invites you to reflect on the meaning of freedom.
Is freedom the same for everyone? Can you take freedom, or is it something that can only be given? How much does it matter if we think about it differently? Freedom is difficult to define or confine to a single idea. That’s why, at the end of the route, we invite you to sign ‘the Universal Declaration of the Open Mind’. Because freedom begins with an open mind.
Step into the shoes of a real detective this summer and uncover the secrets of the Dolhuys – the historic building that houses the Museum of the Mind | Haarlem – during an exciting and educational treasure hunt.
This interactive quest guides children through special locations in and around the museum: from the old isolation cell to mysterious prints on a wall, and from a pink elephant to a centuries-old leprosy artifact. By observing closely, listening carefully, and daring to explore, children will learn about the history of the building and the hidden stories within its walls.
In Amsterdam, at the monumental H’ART Museum building on the Amstel, we showcase themed exhibitions based on our extensive collection of Outsider Art.
Outsider Art is often made outside the regular art circuit and is rarely given a stage. The works depict the inner world of artists with their personal visions, obsessions and great affections without being concerned with what the world thinks of it. Out of a strong desire, emotions and fascinations are given shape with every thinkable material.
The museum’s growing collection of Outsider Art includes about 1700 works by 120 (inter)national artists. A selection of masterpieces can always be seen at this location.
For the first time in the Netherlands, the works of the popular British illustrator Louis Wain will be exhibited. Wain rose to fame in the late 19th century with his iconic cat paintings. Today, he is credited with playing a significant role in popularizing cats as pets. By the early 20th century, his work was so beloved in England that nearly every household had at least one of his posters on their walls!
Animal Therapy also features works by Marlene Dumas, Jan Hoek and several artist from the Museum van de Geest’s own collection including Ria Mul, Yoshihiro Watanabe, and Dodi Espinosa. Together, these pieces highlight the comfort, inspiration, and companionship that animals bring to our lives.
With Animal Therapy, art, care, and mental health are brought together in a unique exhibition. This showcase explores how animals play a supportive role in human well-being and how this special bond inspires artists to create powerful and emotional works of art. For many, animals are more than companions—they help us break down barriers and find balance. It’s no surprise that animals are increasingly being integrated into healthcare, where they play a crucial role in building resilience and restoring emotional equilibrium.
