Multatuli Huis reads writer, room and colonial context
In the house where Eduard Douwes Dekker was born, his desk, globe and library bring his work together with the relationship between the Netherlands and Indonesia.
Writing at the desk
The piece of furniture makes the writer tangible, but does not in itself prove where each book was written. Read the provenance of objects and look at which documents genuinely support the working process.
The globe and the colonial world
The globe offers a way into distance, rule and perspective. Compare the geographical depiction with a text extract and ask from whose position the Dutch East Indies is described.
A library with several voices
Books and temporary context can show the reception of Multatuli and criticism of him. Alongside the author, look for a voice from Indonesia or a later researcher to open up the story.
Read one short passage by the globe and note which place names, power relations and absent voices strike you.
Before you go
Only Friday–Sunday 12.00–17.00; closed on several specific public holidays and event days in 2026.