From the Nile to the Amstel
An overview of 10,000 years of cultural history. From the merchants of Assyria to the theatre makers of the creative city of Amsterdam. The objects they left behind tell their story.
From the Nile to the Amstel is a permanent presentation that starts with prehistoric hunters in the Near East and ends in 21st-century Amsterdam. This history shows the interaction between the ancient and modern world and tells the story of the humankind’s unbridled curiosity. From the origins of writing to early industrial book production, and from Assyrian merchants to theatre makers in Amsterdam.
Egyptian mummies, Greek pottery, Roman glass, Coptic textiles, Medieval manuscripts, 17th-century atlases and books, anatomical drawings, letters, prints and cookbooks, puppet-show figures from the Dam and an extensive collection of plaster casts of famous classical statues — these are just some of the items on display at the Allard Pierson. The heritage collections of the University of Amsterdam are an inexhaustible source of knowledge and stories.
From the Nile to the Amstel has recently been enlarged to include Allard Pierson Live, open to visitors free of charge. Everybody can come along and sift through archaeological finds or digitally browse through the cartography, theatre and music collections.
From the Nile to the Amstel
