The Suriname Museum will open in November in the Hugo Olijfveldhuis on Zeeburgerdijk in Oost, on the site formerly occupied by Vereniging Ons Suriname and The Black Archives. The building includes some 1,500 m² of exhibition space over three floors.
The scope of the exhibition is broad and in-depth. The permanent core - "Meet Su | Meet Us" - takes you on a journey from the time before the arrival of Europeans, through slavery, colonial times, plantations, contract labor, migration to the present. Visitors will see the stories of different populations, including Creoles, Maroons, Hindus, Javanese, Chinese communities and indigenous peoples.
There is also a focus on flora and fauna, with images of Suriname's lush nature, and how that ecological richness is intertwined with culture and survival. Art and culture are given ample space: objects, works of art, audiovisuals, oral history, multimedia guides.
"The Suriname Museum presents Suriname, Suriname history and the Suriname diaspora in a way never seen before: as complete as possible and from the perspective of all Surinamese populations."
Another important pillar is the story of Surinamese people in the Netherlands - migration, identity, contributions and challenges. The third floor focuses on the diaspora, on generations who grew up here, and on what "coming home" means, even if the country you come from is far away.
Audience goals are ambitious: in its inaugural year, it is aiming for about 50,000 visitorsThe museum aims to be accessible to all ages, backgrounds and interests; students, local residents, tourists - all are welcome.