Dutch Museum Drops 'Golden Age' Label to Describe 17th Century

AMSTERDAM (AP) — A museum in Amsterdam is facing criticism for its decision to stop using the term “Golden Age” to describe the 17th century, when the Netherlands was a global mercantile, military and artistic superpower.

Amsterdam Museum curator Tom van der Molen says the term is strongly linked to national pride over prosperity and peace but “ignores the many negative sides of the 17th century, such as poverty, war, forced labor and human trafficking.”

Education Minister Arie Slob told reporters in The Hague on Friday “I’m a bit tired of discussions about one term.”

In a tweet, populist lawmaker Thierry Baudet calls the move “pure brainwashing.”

In recent years, activists have pushed for more recognition of the dark side of 17th-century Dutch prosperity, in particular the country’s involvement in the slave trade.