The nineteenth-century city stank and made people sick. In contrast to the unhealthy city was a growing belief: that nature and fresh air were good for the body and mind. This exhibition tells the story of that longing for clean air, open space, and greenery.
The exhibition Heading Outdoors is on display in the heritage showcase at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Through objects such as historical maps, books and archival documents, the exhibition illustrates how the nineteenth-century city was viewed as a source of disease, and how the belief grew that nature and the fresh air contributed to better health. From psychiatric institutions in the dunes to public parks and health colonies for workers’ children: the ideal took many forms. A theme which, it turns out, is still relevant today.