The rich collection of works of art, objects and archaeological finds brings to life the fortunes of Amsterdammers of days gone by and today. From a mediaeval child's shoe and the map of Cornelis Antonisz from 1538, giving a bird's-eye view of the city, to the impressive Civic Guard paintings from the Golden Age. Photos and film material show the happy times as well as the drama of the modern city's inhabitants. You'll witness the poverty in the Jordaan area he 19th century but also the idealism of the sixties and Ajax's success at football.

Carefully selected highlights, exhibits and loan items, tell the interesting story of this multifaceted city in seven chapters. In each chapter, one exhibit forms the basis for the story of that period. These stories are told through exciting animations which are projected onto big glass screens in the middle of the gallery. Every visitor is given a travel guide which can activate the animations of each period in one of the ten languages offered, from Italian to Russian and Japanese.