The Collection
'The Collection' is the permanent exhibition which presents more than 2000 objects from Asia and Oceania. The spiritual story behind the objects is also told. Spirituality is the essence of the museum collection. It is the element that binds cultures together. The exhibition offers insight into the cosmology, rituals and philosophy of life of various cultures.
The first image you see in 'The Collection' is a statue of the fasting Buddha. It portrays Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha, who was born a prince. Sakyamuni decided to put his opulent princely life behind him and to search for the essence of existence. To purify himself after taking this decision, he ate no more than a handful of lentils a day. Eventually Buddha realised that extreme austerity is not the answer. The path to enlightenment is the middle road. Buddha's search for enlightenment underlies the symbolism and meaning behind the other exhibited works. The artworks displayed in 'The Collection' often address existential issues or have a ritual function that helps people find answers to existential questions. The Buddha statue provides an introduction to the entire exhibition.
A special feature of 'The Collection' is the way that objects, including dozens of ancestor figures from the Moluccas and Papua New Guinea, are displayed in the open. Equally impressive are the Tibetan throne room and the Japanese temple display. In the field of Buddhist art, the Wereldmuseum is among the best in the world.
Guided tours and audio tours
You can visit the exhibition with the help of an audio tour. Three versions are available in Dutch: for adults, for teenagers and for children. The audio tour for adults is available also in English. Key objects from the various cultural regions are discussed in depth in the audio tour. It is as though you are taking a personal guide with you.
On Sunday afternoons the museum also offers continuous guided tours for adults and children, which you can join free of charge.
On request, the museum will provide guides for groups. For more information about how to reserve this service, click here.
