Imagine a museum where you walk in feeling like you’ve discovered a hidden treasure and emerge with a strong desire to become a scientist or archeologist…Well that’s the impact the Teylers Museum can have on a person. From the minute you enter the museum the detail, intricacy and aesthetics are overwhelming yet at the same time alluring.
This museum, situated in Haarlem, the Netherlands is steeped in the history of two centuries and has yet remained in tact since its establishment in 1784. In fact, the museum is the country’s oldest and the world’s only 18th century museum preserved in much of its original state.
The oldest part, the awe-inspiring Oval Room, is a trademark of the museum built in a neo-classical architectural style. The upper gallery comprises bookshelves mainly with encyclopaedia and below, in the heart of the room, lies a magical mineralogical collection that is truly breathtaking. The colours, shapes and textures of these rocks and precious stones is a miracle in itself (if you’re in need of positive energy be sure to go here!).
What makes the Oval Room so unique is that it is also filled with objects dating from the age of Enlightenment whereby the importance of analysis and classification were at the forefront of thought. These ideas about discovery and exploration are present throughout the entire museum trip.
During the Enlightenment new scientific discoveries were taking place the world over and people gathered from far and wide to marvel at the objects on display. At the Teylers Museum you’ll find objects from the fields of science, chemistry, electricity, optics, geology, mechanics and magnetism from this specific period.
One of the rooms I truly love is this green room below with plenty of beautiful paintings by Dutch artists. In this room you can page through the authentic illustrations and preparatory sketches of Rafael, Rembrandt and Michelangelo, to name a few of the greats – a truly magical experience to hold a masterpiece within your two hands!
Other objects to be seen include fossils, coins, and minerals; many of which leave you wondering about life and existence and the beauty thereof.
Some of these objects are a little weird and wonderful – some are fossils from animals that are now extinct. Others you may not have known to exist today.
After leaving the Teylers Museum I wondered to myself about the things that could not or still cannot be classified or quantified in some manner or other. The things science cannot always explain or predict. It really got me thinking. At the same time I thought about the utter structure and rationality of scientific classifications and that even in such structure and analysis there is much beauty to be found.
Elizabeth Joss-Bethlehem
Elizabeth Joss-Bethlehem is the founder and main writer at The Museum Times. She works as a university lecturer by day and is an avid travel blogger and arts and culture enthusiast by night. Elizabeth started The Museum Times out of the need to give smaller, lesser-known museums more exposure.
Follow Me:
Leave a Reply