Starting today, everyone is welcome to visit the brand-new
website of the JHM's Children's Museum: www.jhmkindermuseum.nl. It
is a cheerful site, full of inspiration, based on the theme of a
Jewish family that happily receives visitors in their home, shows
them their life and shares their ideas. In the virtual guest room,
which is called 'your room', children and other visitors are
invited to be themselves. They can put their own room together
here, so that they can really feel at home with the Hollander
family. To celebrate the launch of the new website, a competition
has been set on the site; children can win a personalised wall
painting by an artist in their own room at home.
In the Hollanders' home, you see the members of the family in short
clips that film-maker Frans Weisz has produced
specially for the website. 'Max the Matzo' is your guide, just as
in the JHM's Children's Museum in Amsterdam. The characters each
show the various ways in which they express their Jewishness. As
the wise Hillel once said, 'What is hateful to you, do not unto
your neighbour. The rest is commentary, go forth and learn!'. This
is reflected playfully here in the form of marvellous animated
drawings by Noga Zohar. And there is plenty to
learn: the interactive kosher game in the kitchen, a jukebox of
world music in the music room and a word game in the study. You can
send e-cards to your friends, and in the guest room you can hang
your own photographs on the wall.
The website follows the different festivals in the Jewish calendar.
So in spring the Hollander family is busily preparing for Pesach,
and as winter closes in they celebrate the Jewish Festival of
Lights, Chanukah.
The new website has been beautifully designed by Bureau IJsfontein
and is in three languages: Dutch, English and Hebrew. The site
provides ample scope for use in primary schools: for teachers to
prepare lessons, and for pupils to give talks in class. It can also
be used very well in combination with a visit to the 'real'
Children's Museum, either as preparation beforehand or for going
over the experience afterwards.
To celebrate the launch of the new website, the JHM Children's
Museum is awarding a prize: children can make a virtual design of a
room on the site. All entries will be kept on the site and will be
accessible to everyone. Children will vote for the most beautiful
design. The winner will be visited by a real artist at home, who
will make a wall painting corresponding to the winner's individual
preferences in his or her own bedroom.
The JHM Children's Museum has been a permanent part of the Jewish
Historical Museum since 2006.
Address for visitors: Nieuwe Amstelstraat 1, Amsterdam.
Individual visits: every day from 11:00 to 17:00 (NB school visits
take priority during the hours given below).
School visits: Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to
15:00 (except for Wednesday afternoons).
Go to www.jhmkindermuseum.nl for
news of special events for children in the Christmas holidays and
for information about birthday parties, group visits to the JHM
Children's Museum and programmes organised jointly with the
Hollandsche Schouwburg.
For visual material and/or further information, please contact the
communication department.
Tel. 020 531 0370
Fax 020 531 0311
E-mail communication