Jan Bouman Haus

About the museum

The Holländisches Viertel (Dutch Quarter) was built between 1732 and 1742 under King Frederick William I, who wanted to attract Dutch craftsmen to Potsdam. The master builder Jan Bouman erected four blocks with a total of 134 brick houses in the Dutch style. The house at Mittelstraße 8 was built in 1735 in the first block; its first occupant was a Dutch grenadier and his family. It belongs to the “half house” type, with roughly half the usual floor area, and shows the typical red bricks with white joints, multi-pane windows and shutters.

After war damage and long vacancy from 1979, the building had fallen into serious disrepair. With funding from the Wüstenrot Stiftung it was carefully restored to heritage standards from 1995 to 1997 and opened as a museum house on April 18, 1997. Since then it has been run by the Förderverein zur Pflege niederländischer Kultur in Potsdam (an association promoting Dutch culture in Potsdam).

The museum documents the history of the Dutch Quarter and the restoration of the house itself. The front house, courtyard, half-timbered courtyard building and garden, furnished with historic furniture and household items, convey an impression of everyday life in the 18th century. There are also small special exhibitions, workshops for children and the festivals organized by the association, such as the Tulip Festival in spring and the Sinterklaas Festival in December.

Highlights

• Original Dutch house from 1735 with courtyard, half-timbered courtyard building and garden
• Living quarters with 18th-century furniture and household items
• Exhibition on the history of the Dutch Quarter
• Museum scavenger hunt for children aged 8 and up included in admission
• Tulip Festival and Sinterklaas Festival in the Dutch Quarter

Permanent exhibitions

• Geschichte des Holländischen Viertels – The house tells of the founding of the quarter under Frederick William I, of its residents' everyday life in the 18th century, and of the rescue of the dilapidated building in the 1990s.

Founded

1997

Operated by

Förderverein zur Pflege Niederländischer Kultur in Potsdam e.V.

Admission & discounts

Workshops for groups €15–40 per group depending on the program; the children's museum scavenger hunt is included in admission.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Museum scavenger hunt with riddles and a craft activity (included in admission), holiday workshops for 8- to 12-year-olds, and tours and workshops for daycare groups. Children up to age 16 have free admission.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit