Amsterdam humor in the NEMO depot

Klaas (76 years old) works one day a week as a volunteer in the depot of NEMO Science Museum. Here, all incoming objects of the futuristic museum are registered, maintained, and stored. A task that requires attention and time. In the depot, there are 17,000 unique objects, from tie presses to butter warmers.NEMO is a paradise for every curious soul who loves to experiment. They make science and technology fun, exciting, and accessible. In the depot, the smell of technology lingers. Rows and rows of cabinets of various sizes hold household appliances, engines, large technical devices, and image carriers. Klaas registers incoming image and sound carriers: from Betamax videotapes and cassettes to vinyl records: a few unique copies of everything are preserved.

He separates and sifts until only the best is preserved. “Otherwise, people will throw it away with the bulky waste!” Recently, he selected the most beautiful vinyl records from the right era for the right record players for a showcase exhibition at NEMO; for a snapshot of the use of the turntable.

Technology intervenes in everything in life

On vacation, Klaas likes to visit museums; for example, the Deutsches Museum in Munich. “The strange thing is that I wanted to go there, my family wasn’t really interested in technology; but in the end, they were busy exploring everything much longer than I was, and I wanted to go back to the campsite. You understand in such a museum that technology affects everything in life.” The Netherlands has a significant lag in terms of technical museums compared to other countries, but that is improving now. For example, the Cruquius pumping station near Halfweg is open to the public, and the Kromhout Museum on Hoogte Kadijk in Amsterdam is definitely worth a visit.

Fold your own paper airplane

Klaas has been active as a volunteer for NEMO and its predecessor Museum Energetica for sixteen years. This has been since his retirement as a teacher of Electrical Engineering in 2003. During school holidays, he also helps as a guide for the workshop ‘Making a Little Figure Spin’. In this workshop, the participant creates a copper wire figure to explain the physics term Lorentz force. The figure spins due to the magnetic force field generated by the participant. He also enjoys guiding the workshops ‘Lighting a Bulb’ and ‘Folding Your Own Airplane’. “These workshops bring back the old feeling of teaching.”

From volleyball to photoshop

“I am absolutely not bored. I have always been involved with the volleyball club in the village with my family and have done all kinds of volunteer roles for the club. Currently, I am a permanent substitute in my team instead of being a full member, which is fine at my age. I am still a referee in the recreational league. I also lead the photo group of Women of Now in Obdam/Hensbroek and give presentations about Indonesia. These are fully booked until 2020. Additionally, I conduct workshops at a computer club, for example, on Powerpoint or how to create a digital photobook.”(story continues below the photo)

Amsterdam humor

“What do I enjoy doing the most? I truly enjoy everything and do it gladly; if you no longer enjoy it, you stop, that is the richness of volunteering. The best part of my work for NEMO is my day in Amsterdam. The atmosphere, the Amsterdam humor in the depot, the ride in the crowded bus early in the morning with a laid-back driver. You don’t have that in the northern part of Holland!”Photos: Kim Cerrone
Interview: Helen Kooistra

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What is managed and stored in the NEMO depot?

Since 2008, NEMO has had the Heritage Collection of Museum Energetica. The heritage collection shows what science and technology have yielded for humanity. The story of people and energy is told in 4 parts: 1. Energy generation and storage, 2. Installation technology (How is energy brought to homes?), 3. Technology in and around the home (What is energy used for?), and 4. Lighting. During Discover North in April, the depot was open for public tours. This happens more often on special occasions. Tours are announced on the NEMO website.

Non-breaking space