Huis Bartolotti Amsterdam: Visit the Historic Canal House Museum

Huis Bartolotti is a 17th century canal house museum located on the Herengracht in Amsterdam. The house has period rooms, a large garden and offers an insight into the former lives of wealthy merchant families.

The house occupies a unique position on the small bend of the Herengracht canal. You can see its curved façade which follows the line of the canal.

Huis Bartolotti was originally commissioned by the wealthy merchant Willem Bartolotti and was designed by prominent Dutch architect Hendrick de Keyser.

Construction was completed in 1620 and it became one of the grandest merchant houses in Amsterdam during the so-called Golden Age. It is built from distinctive orange bricks in Dutch Renaissance style with ornate stone carvings and a stepped gable.

Three generations of the Bartolotti family lived in the house although the house was split into 2 sections in the late 17th century. An entire rear house was added during the 18th century.

Both parts of the house were effectively acquired in the 20th century by Hendrick de Keyser Monumenten, a charitable organisation which oversees around 480 historic buildings throughout the Netherlands.

It has carried out a number of extensive restorations on the building over the years. It was the organisations’s headquarters for some time and in 2018 the Huis Bartolotti was opened as a museum.

The museum is spread across 3 floors. Much of the house is furnished from the 18th and 19th centuries and features Louis XIV and Louis XV decoration with extensive use of mahogany.

On the ground floor is the beautiful front room which hosts the museum reception desk. The room is adorned with landscape wall paintings by Isaac de Moucheron and two grisaille paintings by Jacob de Wit.

Side note: de Wit paintings can be seen in other canal houses in Amsterdam: Art Zoo, Huis Marseille and Willet-Holthuysen House

A detailed scale model of the house in the front room shows the layout of the building.

Step through to the classy and exquisite back room which has some Bartolotti family portraits hanging on the wall.

Heading further on to the rear, the attractive Garden Room (tuinkamer) has a centrepiece indoor marble wall fountain. Try to find the concealed hand pump which operates the water.

Downstairs is the large period kitchen where complimentary tea and coffee are available for visitors to enjoy around the kitchen table.

From here you can access the enclosed garden, where the resident cat is often found relaxing in the shade of ancient trees. Unlike the Museum Van Loon, there is no coach house at Huis Bartolotti.

The upper floor contains the elegant reception room which was used for entertaining guests and the more sparse servants’ quarters.

A handheld audio tour is included in both Dutch and English. Volunteers are also available throughout the house to answer questions and provide additional information about its history and former residents.

Families can pick up a children’s scavenger hunt (speurtocht) from reception which encourages younger visitors to explore the rooms.

The house can also be hired for private events and functions. Note, being a 17th century house with steep staircases means the building is not wheelchair accessible.

Huis Bartolotti offers one of the more informal canal house visits in Amsterdam. With its impressive architecture, richly decorated interiors and hands-on approach it makes for an enjoyable alternative to some of the city’s larger museums.

Hus Bartolotti Amsterdam Essential Info

This article was first published on 13 July 2026.

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