Tineke is a volunteer at Museum Amsterdam Noord: “Special conversations arise here”

Twice a month, Tineke Meijer takes the ferry to go to the Museum Amsterdam Noord. For five years, she has been a volunteer in this museum that focuses on the history of Amsterdam Noord. As a hostess, Tineke welcomes and talks to all kinds of visitors: from old residents to young families who have just moved to Amsterdam Noord. “We often have very pleasant conversations.”When you enter Museum Amsterdam Noord, it’s hard to imagine that this building used to be a bathhouse. The museum exudes a homely atmosphere, and on the floor, there is now a large map of Amsterdam Noord. In addition to the permanent exhibition on the history of Amsterdam Noord, there is a new temporary exhibition every six months. Currently, it is the Atlas of Noord. “Many people enjoy seeing exactly where they live and how the neighborhood originated. Our visitors are mainly residents of Amsterdam Noord, mostly retirees. What’s funny is that we also get young families who have just moved here and want to learn more about Amsterdam Noord. We also have people from all over the country, but they are often individuals who were born or raised here.”

“I want to tell you more about this”

“After my retirement, I first thought: ‘Oh great, just relax for a while’. But that didn’t last very long, and then I wanted to do something. I volunteered somewhere else for ten years first. At some point, I read in the newspaper about a film screening here at the museum. My husband and I went there. We were both born and raised in Amsterdam Noord, so that was nice. My husband even went to the public bathhouse here as a child. There are certain things that make you want to tell more about them. We then asked if we could become volunteers. We no longer live in Noord, but we found it very nice to be back here. Being retired gives you more time. Also to leisurely walk through our old neighborhood again, for example. That is special because it is a completely different experience than it was back then when we lived here.”

Hostess at the museum

Together with her husband, Tineke can be found at the museum twice a month. As a hostess, she welcomes visitors, shows them the way, and answers questions about the history. Her husband also gives tours about gentrification and in the Van der Pekbuurt. “Sometimes we walk through it together. The funny thing is: we used to live in the Vogelbuurt and the Van der Pekbuurt is in the Bloemenbuurt. We never used to go there. You really had your own little neighborhood. That’s why we had to do a lot of research on the Van der Pekbuurt: how was it built and by whom? This way, you learn a lot about Noord. There is a lot of change happening in Noord right now. That’s why, for example, we attended an information session about the Hamerkwartier last week.”

Recalling memories

Especially the coziness and sense of community make this volunteer work so enjoyable, according to Tineke. “You have direct contact with the visitors. Our number of visitors is not that large, so you can really have many conversations with them. They tell you all sorts of things, and I really enjoy that. Because I was also born in Amsterdam Noord, I often have a certain connection with people and we can reminisce.” Some conversations Tineke will not easily forget: “Last Sunday we were on duty and an elderly lady from Tuindorp Oostzaan came by. She told us a story about her father, who had been an amateur cycling champion. Unfortunately, he was shot dead during the Second World War. Her mother never wanted to talk about it, so she actually knew nothing about her father. Now we have a volunteer who happened to be present and is very good at research. He found an article in an old newspaper about a cycling race in which her father had become champion. That lady was so happy. Then you think: that’s what we’re here for.”

Informative for everyone

Becoming a volunteer at the museum in Amsterdam Noord is something Tineke recommends to everyone: “The museum is open from Thursday to Sunday from 13:00 to 17:00. As a volunteer, we can always choose the days we want to work each month. It’s very flexible and also a fun and educational volunteering opportunity for young people. You not only delve into the history of Amsterdam Noord, but you also have very special conversations with people.”

Would you like to know more about inspiring volunteering opportunities in Amsterdam Noord? Contact Wendy Post at w.post@vca.nu or 06-11283285.Text: Kiki Dusebout

Photography: Mark Rammers