No, you probably won't find any fake Louis Vuitton Purses at the recently-reopened Museum of Purses in Amsterdam. What you will find, however, are some real Louis Vuitton purses that look indistinguishable from well-made replicas. You'll also find some real Fendi purses and Yves St. Laurent purses in there--not to mention a strange 19th century purse with what looks like a giraffe embroidered on its surface. Upon closer examination, you will notice that the "embroidery" is actually colorful beads.



Purse Museum Collections

Plus, there's more. The Purse Museum's permanent collection includes strange-looking (to modern eyes) 15th century purses, which look like nothing more than brownish leather pouches, except that they are attached to a metallic "frame." You'll see purses covered with different-colored beads bearing a Latin inscription. You'll see purses dating from the 15th century covered with enamelware from Limoges. You'll also see much ruder-looking purses from that same time period, all boiled leather and iron.

Eighteenth century purses, however, is where the museum's collection really shines. Is there anything more absorbing than browsing through the strange and wonderful handbags, purses, wallets, and pouches in which 18th century women (and some men) stored their money? The people who made those 18th century purses were not afraid to get Rococo. Stylized boughs of roses, mannered and cold (especially because they were made completely out of beads) grace the front of many a wallet, at the Purse Museum."

Then, of course, comes the Purse Museum's staggering plethora of purses from the 20th century. During the early part of the century, Art Deco was king--so much so that Chanel had the audacity to make a bag shaped exactly like a streamlined cruise ship. During the latter part of the century, replicas of Marilyn Monroe showed up on purses and wallets (but not yet on people's t-shirts).

In short, after a visit to the Purse Museum, you will have seen such a staggering variety of "original" and "real" purses from across the centuries, that you will probably be confused about what is "real" once you come out. Who's to say whether or not that fake Louis Vuitton purse you're wearing won't end up in some wonderful museum 100 years from now?