If you are into bags, then I’ll suggest you a visit Tassenmuseum Hendrikje. It’s a unique museum of Bags and Purses in Amsterdam which has a great collection ranging 17th century pouches and alms purses, 18th century thigh bags, wallets and framed bags, 19th century reticules and stocking purses and classical, special models from the 20th and the 21st century.
The museum’s collection consists of more than 3,500 bags, pouches, suitcases, purses and other accessories. Housed in an historic building along the Herengracht, it’s an amazing and luxurious private museum that focuses only on one object. It has its own museum cafe overlooking a beautiful historic garden, two rooms with 17th and 18th century ceiling murals and mantelpieces as well as a shop selling a range of bags and purses.
We all know that bags and purses are now a key fashion accessory but they began life centuries ago as a purely practical item, used for storing personal belongings before tailors had dreamed up the pocket.
Simple coin-purses or pouches were mostly hung from the waist beneath exterior clothing. With the arrival of pockets, bags were viewed more specifically as female attire and consequently attracted more adornment and pattern. Then times changed and women started becoming choosy about the purses just to put on airs. In the 20th century, the obsession with brands began.
Tassenmuseum Hendrikje is the only museum in the world that houses such an extensive and specialized collection and it hopes to be a source of inspiration to designers, artists and anyone with an eye for beautiful things.
Open:
Museum and shop open daily at 10.00 am and close at 5.00 pm.
Check out the picture gallery to get a glimpse of antique bags and purses at the Tassenmusuem.
Source: Newsday
Tassenmuseum Hendrikje (Museum of Bags and purses). Picture Gallery
