For once, it’s not all about the cats.
The Mouse Mansion is something a bit different for the Lilly Likes team… and for the rest of Amsterdam. Although we enjoy reviewing some of the finer attractions of our favourite city for all to enjoy, we do usually end up talking about cats. Whether it be in the Kattencafe or in the Kattencabinet, we know cats are a firm favourite among the tourists of Amsterdam… so naturally, when the opportunity arose to talk about mice for a little while, we leapt at the chance.
The Mouse Mansion is an innovative Amsterdam attraction, which features two beloved children’s characters. The Mansion is reasonably new, having only been in existence since the early 2010’s, and is the brainchild of an author.
If little mice characters living in houses wasn’t enough to entertain you, don’t forget that you are in our house now – and here at Lilly Likes, we are veritable Amsterdam masters. We have all manner of Amsterdam attractions for you to peruse properly on our website. Whether you want to browse through the best coffee shops in the city, or whether you want to keep the kiddies entertained, we could have exactly the reviewed destination you have been looking for.
Incidentally, we also offer deals on Amsterdam breaks, sell tickets to some of these destinations, and provide insights into the best bits of the best bits. Basically, if you are going to Amsterdam, bookmark our pages and use them to get you some money off.
Now on with the Mouse Mansion show!
Who and What is Mouse Mansion?
Mouse Mansion is where Sam and Julia live, of course. Sam and Julia are mice – fake mice, just to clarify – who live in a mansion. We aren’t sure of the exact story of how they came to be there, but do know the ‘how’ behind it.
The Mouse Mansion is a series of books written for children, by Netherlands author Karina Schaapman. It started off as a film set so that she could animate her books and has grown into a real labour of love ever since.
The Mouse Mansion was released in 2011 and has been growing ever since. Schaapman experienced overnight success, as tots everywhere loved the two little mice in their giant house. As we confess, we’re not sure how they came to be in the house, but we do know that you can buy the books both on Amazon, and in the Mouse Mansion gift shop. There are other outlets online, too.
To this day, the books are available in over 27 languages and the author has achieved international success… so it must be one hell of a mansion. On a serious note, however, it is the clever characterisation and delightful wholesomeness of this place, that makes it a favourite among the preschoolers. They can’t get enough of these mice and their adventures. So much so, that the Mouse Mansion opened up to the public and the exhibition has only kept growing since.
Packing this Mouse Mansion for transport. They will be on display @ bookshop Scheltema in Amsterdam from April 14th! pic.twitter.com/OkwAJgjzxQ
— The Mouse Mansion (@themousemansion) April 11, 2016
The Mouse Mansion Itself
The actual mansion, the place where Sam and Julia use as a base of operations for their adventures, is fairly massive. While you would be forgiven for thinking that it is in the shape of a giant cheese, the mansions itself is more like a dolls house. The house is massive for two mice, with each room impressively kitted out in tiny detailed furniture. Tiny beds can be found on the upper floors, while whole rooms are devoted to laundry, to eating, or to books.
The two mice (and their family members) live in a mansion big enough to be filmed on TV. The set had to be perfect, so there seemed sense in preserving it – especially after the massive popularity of the series. Instead of binning it all, the set became a tourist attraction, complete with its own gift shop, tour guide, and online experience.
What Can you Do at the Mouse Mansion in Amsterdam?
The mansion has over a hundred different rooms that you can take time to explore. It’s like a great painting in that the more you look, the more you see. The mansion is three metres high and 2 metres wide. It took the author three years to build and she is still expanding and adding to it, to this day.
There are miniatures to play with, too. Sam and Julia live in mouse mansion and have adventures together, every day. You can make your own adventure in mouse mansion, given enough imagination and a half hour of fun-packed creativity.
There’s the shop, too. So you can browse for little replica dolls of your own. There’s even instructions on how to build a Mouse Mansion of your own, for your own set of dolls. Although the artist used papier mache and cardboard boxes to build her set, you can buy furniture packs in the store. You’ll have to make your own papier mache, though!
Every time there is a new book, Karina adds another mouse set. To date, there is a theatre, a fairground, a mouse harbour, mouse canals – and more. Pop along and leave plenty of time to browse it, because it always takes longer than you think it will, despite being so small.
Where to Find the Mouse Mansion in Amsterdam?
You will find the Mouse Mansion in two different places. The Central Library has a MM exhibit, but you can also visit their shop and studio for the full experience. The studio is located on Eerste Tuindwarsstraat 1-hs. Check in with their Visit Us pages for current restrictions and opening hours.
The Lilly Likes Verdict?
Lilly doesn’t much like rodents, but she does appreciate how hard it is to entertain little ones while you are on holiday. The Mouse Mansion is a must for anyone looking for something to do with their children while in Amsterdam, especially if those children are as tiny as the mice are. Preschoolers adore this exhibit, and parents adore the hour of peace it brings them.
The Mouse Mansion gets the double thumbs up from the Lilly Likes review team, but don’t just take our word for it. Check it out for yourself and don’t forget to let us know how it went over on Instagram.
