Every year in the second weekend of September, thousands of monuments open their doors to the public for free on Open Monument Day. The Theatrum Anatomicum in the Waag is also open this weekend.
The Waag was once the gateway to Amsterdam and the main meeting point of the guilds of painters, bricklayers and surgeons. Tsar Peter the Great visited renowned anatomist and botanist Frederik Ruysch here and the surgeons' guild conducted research in the beautiful anatomical theatre. The anatomical lessons, using the corpses of executed criminals, were attended not only by surgeons in training, but also by paying visitors.
During the Open Monument Day, volunteers will guide you to see the Theatrum Anatomicum.