Torture Museum, Amsterdam
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The Torture Museum, Amsterdam is a small museum in Amsterdam, located near the Bloemenmarkt overlooking the Singel, that exhibits historical instruments of torture. The museum has been noted as "one of the world's most unusual museums."[1]It is also is a popular museum for tourists.[2][3][4] The Torture Museum Amsterdam is not to be confused with a similar museum showcasing instruments of torture in Amsterdam, the Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments.[5] The two museums are not connected.
Museum Layout
The museum consists of small, dark rooms. Each room houses one or two torture devices, which can be touched. Each device is accompanied with an enlarged image from an old book or article featuring that device in use and a description of that device and how and why it was used. All of the articles are translated into English, Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish.[6]
Articles on display
The museum features a variety of devices, from well-known objects like the guillotine, the rack and the stocks, to lesser-known objects like thumb screws and the flute of shame. Other objects housed in the museum include the iron maiden, skull crusher, Judas cradle, Catherine wheels and Scold's bridle. Some of the devices are genuine and antique, but many are modern reconstructions.[7]
Significance
The museum, whilst small, has a large influence. The museum regularly appears in lists of 'the top weird museums'[1][8] but also is regularly visited and cited in regards to the museum's extensive range of torture devices.[9][10] Several books use the Torture Museum as a source.[11]
References
- ^ a b 'The world's most unusual museum' The Telegraph. Retrieved 2012-08-29.
- ^ Amsterdam. Script. 2012. p. 39. ISBN 9788866146018. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
- ^ 'torture museum NYTimes' NYTimes. Retrieved 2012-08-29.
- ^ "Amsterdam museums". Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ http://www.torturemuseumamsterdam.com Archived 2014-07-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Torture museum Amsterdam Mydestination review". Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ "Torture Museum Amsterdam". Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ 'World’s Creepiest Attractions' Check My City. Retrieved 2012-08-29.
- ^ 'Amsterdam Torture Museum'. Retrieved 2012-08-29.
- ^ 'Top 10 Medieval Torture Devices'. Retrieved 2012-08-29.
- ^ Torture. University of Pennsylvania Press. 1996.