Erasmus Experience

Rotterdam’s greatest thinker

You’ve probably heard the name Erasmus before. But who is he, exactly? Desiderius Erasmus was a world-famous scholar from Rotterdam whose books have changed our world. They have had a profound effect on the free society we live in today. And even though Erasmus lived 500 years ago, his ideas are still extremely valuable to us today.

Step into the world of Erasmus’ ideas

The Erasmus Experience will do more than just introduce you to the man himself. You will also learn to look at the world the same way he did. You will learn to think just as critically as he did. With your wristband, you will dive deeper and deeper into Erasmus’ ideas—as well as your own thoughts. Ultimately, you will learn how you see the world.

What do you think?

Discover what Erasmus used to write about and share your opinion. Is everyone free to always say whatever they want? Are quarrels really always bad? Can you discuss everything openly by using humour? The more questions you ask, the better you can form your own opinion. Identify your own ideas. You will find your questions aren’t that different from the ones Erasmus pondered 500 years ago.

The most important condition for happiness is that you want to be what you are.
Without language, life can’t be civilized and a human can’t be human.
Disagreement does no harm and can often do good.

Enter into a discussion with Erasmus and sharpen your mind

You’ve probably never chatted with someone who lived 500 years ago before! Compare your ideas to those of Erasmus. Together you can discuss topics that people always think about. Maybe you agree with him. Maybe you don’t. But one thing is certain: Discussing your ideas with Erasmus will sharpen your thinking!

What will you leave in the Erasmus Vault?

The Rotterdam Public Library has a safe with the largest Erasmus collection in the world. More than 5,000 books written by and about Erasmus—from his own lifetime all the way up to today. Every word that came from Erasmus’ mind is stored here. And you can add your own ideas and words as well. But only if you manage to open the vault, of course…