Bricks
and Clicks

It speaks for itself that one could not bid on a pair of shoes on eBay in the thirteenth century. But was the way the citizens of Haarlem shopped back in the day really so different from today? The river Het Spaarne was the city’s life line, all trading goods entered the market from the river. Later on, travelling merchants went door to door like an early kind of delivery service, until Haarlems city center was ‘taken’ by small shops that people had to visit in person. Museum Haarlem shows this historical wave, from market place tot travelling vendor to shop and back again to delivery service, in the exhibition Bricks and Clicks.

The exhibition follows a chronological order and starts at Het Spaarne. Using recognisable shop-elements such as counters, shop windows and pedestals, the museum is transformed into a shop with multiple rooms. Each space represents a different time period. We were inspired by clothing labels, old receipts and classic shop interiors for the exhibition design. You will suddenly find yourself in a Haarlem shopping alley in the fifties, complete with decorated windows and authentic collection labels. The exhibition is concluded with a contemporary concept store, offering a peak into Haarlem’s shopping future.