About Us

The Museum invites visitors to explore ideas through images, symbols, and stories. Here, philosophy and knowledge become visible. Illustrations from our rare books as well as themed exhibitions offer new perspectives on the world and on oneself.

The Museum offers a range of tours to suit every curiosity, from the history of the monument and current exhibitions to in-depth introductions into its extraordinary book collection.

From children's activities to concerts, lectures, workshops, and city-wide events like Amsterdam Dance Event, Liberation Day, Open Garden Days and Museum Night, it is a place of discovery for every generation.

At the heart of the Embassy of the Free Mind lies the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica (BPH) collection: over 28,000 volumes, including 5,000 manuscripts dating from the 15th to the 19th century, devoted to the traditions that have shaped the wisdom currents of the West. Alchemy, Kabbalah, Mysticism, Rosicrucianism, Astrology, Hermetic philosophy, and more. The library takes its name from Hermes Trismegistus, the legendary Egyptian sage whose teachings reveal a thread running through all these traditions: that everything is connected, and that something divine lives at the core of every human being.

Many of the authors preserved here paid a heavy price for their ideas. Banned, persecuted, or silenced by church and state, they nevertheless influenced European philosophy, science, and our understanding of what it means to be human. In 2022, the collection was inscribed in the UNESCO Dutch Memory of the World Register.

What makes the collection truly special is that both the sources and the scholarly literature on them reside under one roof, offering the opportunity to study them simultaneously.

We are on the path to becoming a global leader in the digital accessibility of ancient wisdom, ensuring that humanity’s deepest philosophical, spiritual, and scientific insights remain available, intelligible, and transformative in an age of accelerating complexity. Our goal is to open up rare knowledge to global audiences: from academic researchers to anyone with an interest in learning.

The knowledge and wisdom of the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica is made accessible worldwide in our Digital Collection.

Grounded in the UNESCO-recognised Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica collection, the Ritman Research Institute at the Embassy of the Free Mind explores the origins, development, and contemporary relevance of wisdom traditions across cultures.

Through scholarly publications, international collaborations, and expert gatherings, the EFM actively contributes to academic and philosophical discourse.

Research informs exhibitions, learning programmes, and public dialogue, ensuring that knowledge remains dynamic, connected, and impactful.

The House with the Heads on Keizersgracht 123 in Amsterdam is more than a historic building. For centuries, it has been a hub where knowledge, creativity, and free thinking converged.

Named after the busts of six Roman deities on its façade, the house has long attracted free thinkers, collectors, and patrons of the arts. Once home to Lodewijk (or Louis) de Geer and his son Laurens, it housed an extensive library containing titles that can be found on our shelves today.

Today, the house is the living heart of the Embassy of the Free Mind and the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica. As a monument, it safeguards intellectual heritage while remaining open and alive, inviting visitors into a continuum of thought that links past inquiry with present reflection.

A fundamental principle of hermetic philosophy is the harmonious interconnectedness of the cosmos, nature, and humanity. What can be discovered in the pages of our Collection gains additional context, coherence, and depth in our Garden. Here, the 'invisible is made visible'.

The Garden is a place where nature, reflection, and knowledge converge in an environment that breathes, grows, and changes with the seasons. A green oasis to slow down, enjoy a moment of peace, and reconnect with nature, right in the heart of Amsterdam.

As part of Embassy of the Free Mind's programme, the Garden hosts events that suit its unique character. Additionally, the Garden House features small art exhibitions.

The Academy is grounded in the knowledge and wisdom of the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica and offers programmes aligned with the broader themes explored within the Embassy of the Free Mind. The Academy supports reflection, learning and personal and professional development.

We are currently in the process of developing set Academy programmes.