Kattenkabinet – A Museum Featuring Cats!

Amsterdam is home to a lot of museums but I’m guessing you’ve never heard of a museum dedicated to works of art featuring cats, right? Well, you’re welcome to one of Amsterdam’s most “pawsome” museums – The Kattenkabinet (Cat Cabinet).

About Kattenkabinet

The Kattenkabinet is an art museum in Amsterdam entirely devoted to cats. The collection includes paintings, drawings, sculptures and other works of art featuring cats. These including artworks by Picasso, Rembrandt, Toulouse-Lautrec, Corneille, Sal Meijer, Théophile Steinlen and Jože Ciuha. The museum organizes temporary exhibitions.

The story of how the cat cabinet came to be is quite touching. The cat museum is established in memory of a ginger cat by the name of J.P. Morgan who died in 1983. J.P. Morgan’s owner, Bob Meijer was almost inconsolable and as a sort of coping mechanism, started collecting everything that had to do with cats. It worked so well that the collection became a museum.

The Museum’s Collection

In the Kattenkabinet visitors can really find everything about cats. The cat museum has a large collection of works that depict cats. The artworks on display also show how long artists have been portraying cats and this is mostly thanks to the wide variety of masterpieces from different centuries. In addition to painting and drawing, there are also many images, posters, lithographs and photographs. The collection contains a wide variety of works and due to its quantity of cat images, the Kattenkabinet can be considered a truly unique museum.

If you are planning to visit Amsterdam and you’re also a cat lover, the Kattenkabinet is a museum you must not miss! A fun and light-hearted way to soak up some culture in the capital. Due to its central location, extensive collection and convenient opening times, it is a museum for both young and old. Don’t miss out!

Our Kattenkabinet Photo Impression

So we paid a visit to Het Kattenkabinet Museum Amsterdam to see what all the fuss was about and also take some pictures. We found it to be a wonderful museum with a lot of objects and artworks centred wholly on the theme of our feline friends. Below are some of the pictures we took.

This is the entrance to the museum. It’s right on the popular Amsterdam Herengracht and can be reached by canal cruise.

Above the stairs are pictures of famous cats and also a picture of the man who started the museum.

On the first floor is this beautiful vintage room filled with objects and artworks centred on cats.

A beautiful vintage room in Het Kattenkabinet Amsterdam.

Another vintage room in Het Kattenkabinet Amsterdam

Beautiful interior of a room in the Kattenkabinet Museum Amsterdam.

Don’t forget to pay a visit to the Kattenkabinet Souvenir Shop.

Opening hours The Kattenkabinet

The Kattenkabinet is open daily but closed on December 25, January 1 and April 27.

Het Kattenkabinet Tickets and Discounts

Tickets are available at the entrance of the cat museum.

Note: children under 18 are admitted only when accompanied by an adult.

Regular entrance prices at the door:

Address, contact information and route to the museum

The Kattenkabinet museum is centrally located on the Herengracht 497 and the easiest way to get to the museum is by public transport. You can find the exact information below this paragraph.

Address
Het Kattenkabinet Museum
Herengracht 497
1017 BT Amsterdam
+31 (0)20 626 9040
[email protected]
https://www.kattenkabinet.nl/en

Public transport

Het Kattenkabinet Museum Amsterdam is located on the popular Herengracht and visitors can get to there from every part of the city. One of the easiest ways is to go via from Amsterdam Central station or the Leidseplein. It is even possible to stop directly with a Canal Boat on the Herengracht. If you go for this option, make sure your Canal Cruise will drop by the right location. The following trams will take you to the museum:

From Amsterdam Central Station:

• • • Tram 2, Stop at Koningsplein
    • Tram 12, Stop at Koningsplein
    • Tram 14, Stop at Rembrandtplein
    • Tram 24, Stop at Muntplein

From Amsterdam Leidseplein:
Tram 2 or 12, heading to Amsterdam Central Station, stop Koningsplein

With the widget below you can find accurate advice for the real-time travel times based on your current location. This application will help you when you are not sure which bus or tram you can take from your location.

Het Kattenkabinet Museum FAQ

Is there always a queue at the museum?

No, there isn’t. Usually, the museum may be a little crowded during the high season but visitors never have to wait for more than 15 minutes to get in.

Can I get into the museum with my museum card?

No, visitors with a museum card do not get free entry. They will have to buy tickets.

Can I get into the museum with my I Amsterdam Pass?

Yes, visitors with an I Amsterdam card get free entry into the museum.

How much time do I need for a tour of the museum?

The museum isn’t that big so you will need approximately 45 minutes to do a complete tour.

Is the museum suitable for children?

Yes, of course! Children love cats are always welcome to the museum. However, children under 18 must be under adult supervision.

Does the museum offer discounts for groups?

Yes, a group of more than 10 adults pays €4,-.

More things to do

Artis Amsterdam Zoo
Amsterdam Dungeon
BODY WORLDS Amsterdam
Canal Cruise Amsterdam
Casa Rosso 
THIS IS HOLLAND
Moco Museum
NEMO Science Museum
Powerzone
Rijksmuseum
Stedelijk Museum
Tropenmuseum
Van Gogh Museum

Take a look at one of the following museums below or go back to the general Amsterdam museums page.