KattenKabinet
Herengracht 497
1017 BT Amsterdam
+31 (0)20-626 940
The KattenKabinet in Amsterdam is unique – it is the only museum in the world entirely dedicated to cats.
Established in 1990 in a huge house on the famous Herengracht the museum is, as you would expect, a little eccentric.
Apparently the owner still lives upstairs but on the first two floors of this magnificent building cats are portrayed in all imaginable forms – lots of paintings, lots of sculptures and lots of photographs and even a few real cats mooching about. The live ones even have their litter trays surreptitiously placed in dark corners so the museum even smells of cats which adds to the appeal, though not perhaps for everyone.
Needless to say, this is a museum for cat lovers and there is a whole room full of photos of famous ones holding their pet moggies including Picasso, one of whose cat-depicting ceramics is also on view. There are lots of posters too showing products and advertising campaigns that featured cats. Reproductions of many of the posters are available in the small shop along with lots of postcards and other bits and pieces.
You don’t have to be a cat lover to love Amsterdam’s KattenKabinet, but it helps. You’ll also like it if you are a fan of the quirky and eccentric.
