What do you know about the plague doctor? Do you know this dark doctor with his beak mask? Come to this pop-up mini-exhibition and learn all the fables and facts about this famous character.

He is the symbol of the "Black Death" in medieval times, and a staple appearance in games, movies, horror dungeons and cosplay events. Popular images are often taken for true, but reliable mentions of the dark doctor cannot be found in written sources. Are all the facts about this "doctor" true?

Fiction, facts and fables meet in Doctor Schnabel's Plague Museum, a website by Leiden art historian and artist Herbert Mattie. As part of the Fake news theme, he presents a mini-expo on the iconic character in the porter's lodge on Ambachtsplein. 

Among other things, there will be a viewing box where you can take a look inside a poorhouse. How did the poor experience the moment a plague doctor appeared? Did he come to bring healing, or did he come to see if there was anything to get? Those who were sick would rather see the plague doctor go than come, and those who were healthy avoided him "like the plague.

On Nov. 11, Herbert Mattie will be on site from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Location: Ambachtsplein - Porter's Lodge, Langegracht, next to Pronck Brewery

Time: 1 p.m. (to be seen until November 30)

Entrance: Free

Language: Dutch, English text available