In the attic of the Zeeuws Museum are the Chambers of Wonder. Three large shipping crates contain displays inspired by historical curiosity cabinets. Each cabinet is a world in microcosm. The display cases are packed full of the most varied items from Zeeland and from exotic, distant lands. Alongside everyday objects you will find the most curious pieces. Some are simply beautiful to look at and others have extraordinary stories to tell.

What they have in common is that they all inspire wonder. What is it? Where does it come from? Why is it here? The objects inspire, they help you to discover new things or to revive memories.

Jetayu

thematic cabinets

Each cabinet has its own principal theme: Home & Trade, Life & Death and Power & Pomp.

Home & Trade features all manner of objects relating to trade, domesticity and leisure activities. From Chinese porcelain to coffee tins, from beautiful jet garments to reed mats from Indonesia, and from the local game slabberjan to mah-jong.

Life & Death contains objects associated with birth, family, religion and burial. They include mourning dress from Zeeland, an Egyptian mummy, Indonesian fertility symbols, wedding rings, bibles and Qur’an stands.

The cabinet entitled Power & Pomp is devoted to mankind’s need for power and ostentatious display. It includes many glistening objects such as diverse items of jewellery (from silver buttons from Zeeland to Papuan decorative bone pieces but also weapons, uniforms, medals and portraits of heads of state.