Geheugen van Oost

The Memory of East Amsterdam is a storysite developed by Mediamatic. It contains a diverse database of personal stories and memories of inhabitants of District East. Stories not only about special events but also descriptions on the everyday life of ordinary people. All told, written down and kept actual by proud residents themselves.

In story telling one story easily triggers one's memory. Associations connect stories. That's exactly how the website functions, readers flow from one story to another.

By offering residents a common past the website helps communication between residents. It improves social cohesion and prevents from social isolation. In 2003 the website won a price for the best digital social project. The website has been a source of inspiration for several other story websites.

In March 2008 the Amsterdam Historic Museum, the owner of the website, announced that over a thousand stories were on line. "The website has become a meeting point for the neighbourhood" said a spokes person in the daily Parool.

Client Amsterdam Historical Museum