Free museums in the Netherlands

Corrie ten Boom House - The Hiding Place is a museum dedicated to the resistance fighter Corrie ten Boom. The museum is housed in her former home. Part of the house is decorated as it was decorated in the past. Among other things, visitors can see the shelter, a small space behind a false wall in th

Take a journey through the world of aviation. Discover the fascinating story of Dutch civil aviation with more than 100 unique aircraft. Step aboard the Constellation, discover the story from the historical Fokker Spin, feel how it is to fly a plane in one of the simulators and explore the enormous

The Church of Saint John the Baptist holds a significant place in Dutch heritage. In 1993, it was designated as a national monument, reflecting its historical and architectural importance. Further enhancing its cultural significance, the church became part of the Largest Museum of the Netherlands in July 2020. This inclusion allows visitors to appreciate the church's architectural beauty and learn about its rich history.

In the Amsterdam Cheese Museum visitors can relive the history of cheese making and experience the unique flavor of Dutch cheese.

The Archeon is a theme park that shows how people lived in ancient times. Visitors can participate in various activities themselves, such as sword fighting, calligraphy and archery.

Sculpture Gallery Het Depot is a museological stage for contemporary sculpture. The collection of more than 600 sculptures consists of torsos and fragments of the human body. Sculpture Gallery Het Depot has three locations, connected by the beautiful Arboretum De Dreijen and Arboretum Hinkeloord. Al

The Plompe Toren is the only remnant of Koudekerke, a village that disappeared into the Oosterschelde at the end of the 16th century. The Plompe Toren is now an information center about the history, legends and nature of the region.

Exhibitions are regularly held in the side aisles of St. Joseph's Church in Leiden. Exhibitions in recent years have included: 'On the Road to Damascus: The Beginning of a New Life' (2009), 'The Shroud of Turin' (2017), 'Mother Teresa: Her Life, Work, and Spirituality' (2018), the Icon Exhibition Pa

Kasteel Huis Bergh is one of the largest castles in the Netherlands. The castle is semi enclosed by a rampart, and surrounded by a moat. The history of the castle dates back to the 13th century, but the most important remaining parts date from the 14th, 15th and 17th centuries. The collection consis

Museum Het Petershuis is housed in a late Medieval house. The museum owns a collection of contemporary and archaeological objects from Gennep. The permanent collection includes models, archaeological finds and historical information about Gennep. The museum focusses on Germanic peoples and Romans an

In the visitor center of Natuurpark Lelystad, visitors get a taste of the Nature Park. There is an exhibition with stuffed animals. Children can use the relationship game to discover how different plants and animals are connected. In addition, a film is shown that focuses on the roles animals and pl

The Valkhof bunker is the only machine gun bunker remaining of the three bunkers built by the Germans in the Valkhof in 1943. The bunkers had to defend the Waal Bridge and the surrounding area against the advance of the Allies during the war. Visitors can now read, hear and experience what Germans,

Museum the Cigar Maker is dedicated to the craft of making cigars by hand. Among other things, the museum displays cigars, books about cigars and assorted boxes in which the cigars are preserved. Everything that was made around cigars (bands, presenters and other packaging) are also on display in mu

Museum De Schilpen is housed in a 16th century monumental building. The museum illustrates the history of grocery stores and living and working in Maasland in the 19th and 20th centuries. It features a shop and a house, a warehouse and a small rentier house. The store still has the original decorati

The Landscape museum (Landschapmuseum) on the dam in Beek near Nijmegen shows the Dutch landscape at its best. With photographs and stuffed animals the museum tells about the rich history and the recovery, protection and conservation of the Dutch cultural landscape. Furthermore, the museum shows ele

Museum Joure is housed in ten buildings, including six national monuments. The ten buildings are surrounded by quays and a museum garden. One of the buildings once was the first factory of Dutch coffee manufacturer Douwe Egberts. The building features a coffee, tea and tobacco collection. On the 19t

The Max Euwe Centrum illustrates the chess career of Max Euwe (1901-1981). The chess player was world champion in the period 1935-1937. The museum displays photos, objects and documents that illustrate the life and work of Max Euwe. In addition, the museum also covers the history of chess in general

The Beer Advertising Museum is dedicated to the history of beer advertising. The advertisements on display are mainly from the Netherlands and Belgium, but also from England, Ireland, Germany and northern France.

Museumhaven Zeeland is located in the old port of Zierikzee. The museum illustrates the maritime history of Zierikzee and has an indoor and an outdoor location. At the outdoor location at the old harbour, restored ships are on display, including a ‘botter’, a ‘hoogaars’, a clipper and a ‘boeier’. Th

Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden is the information and activity center for the history of Leeuwarden and surroundings. It is the oldest city archive of the Netherlands (1838). Anyone who wants to know about the history of Leeuwarden or the former residents can turn to the HCL. Besides the permanent ex

The Historical Museum of The Hague is housed in a building from 1636 that was built for the gunners of the St. Sebastian's Guild. The museum is dedicated to the history of The Hague. The permanent collection includes paintings such as cityscapes from 1553 and silver and glass objects. In addition, t

Museum farm Erve Brooks Niehof is a farmhouse that dates back to 1538. Exhibits in the farmhouse include a loom, a collection of cutting hats, an old-fashioned linen closet and an alcove. In the attic of the farmhouse, old radios and televisions, old-fashioned costumes and a geological collection co

The exhibit provides an overview of the deployment and equipment of the Anti-Aircraft Artillery and Guided Weapons Groups. The collection consists of machine guns, light and heavy anti-aircraft guns and various radar systems for detecting anti-aircraft targets. There is also equipment from the Cold

Museum Tukar Menukar Doetinchem has a collection of ethnographic means of exchange and payment from the Dutch East Indies and New Guinea.

The Archaeological and Paleontological Museum Hertogsgemaal is housed in an old pumping station built from 1940 to 1945. The museum holds a collection consisting largely of archaeological finds and reconstructions from ancient times. The collection consists of four sections: the Stone Age, the Ice A

Tresoar is the Frisian literary and historical centre. Besides a museum, it is also an archive, library and documentation centre. It houses a collection of information sources on various Frisian topics, including highlights of the Frisian literature, films about the ‘Elfstedentocht’ and plans of Fri

The Koppelkerk is a former church that was transformed into a sanctuary for art and culture over ten years ago. Come and soak up the culture in the picturesque book town of Bredevoort. During the day, the Koppelkerk is a museum with changing exhibitions; in the evening it transforms to a stage fo

The Museum House at Sint Bonifaciusstraat 61, is a gift from Portaal Housing Corporation to the Soesterkwartier on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of this organization. The history of Portaal began with the establishment of the Housing Association Sint Bonifatius. Approval was given by Royal D

Museum Korps Rijdende Artillerie is dedicated to the history of the ‘Korps Rijdende Artillerie’. Objects and documents are collected by officers of the Corps since 1879 to illustrate the history of the Korps Rijdende Artillerie. The collection of the museum includes paintings, historical documents a

TENT is the platform for contemporary art in the Rotterdam context. We realize exhibitions, new productions, educational projects, performances and events with artists from the city and elsewhere, and host local partners and initiatives in our guest programme. Rotterdam’s vibrant urban culture is th

The Lombok district in Utrecht houses an architectural gem: the Turkish mosque (Ulu Mosque), distinguished by its imposing dome and slender, pencil-like minarets. Located in a central spot near the heart of the city and a short distance from the central station, this mosque is a striking landmark, b

Travel through time, discover the Roman ship, explore the fort and dive into 3000 years of history in Museum Hoge Woerd.

Brabants Museum Oud Oosterhout consists of an indoor and an outdoor museum. The outdoor museum depicts the history of Brabant, and in particular of Oosterhout. The park has about 250 Oosterhout miniature buildings. In addition, it features a Flemish barn, a shoemaker and a laundry room. The indoor m

The National Cooperative Museum is dedicated to the history of the consumer cooperatives that were especially active between the two world wars. More than ten percent of the Dutch population was affiliated with a convenience store at the time. The collection includes books, brochures, minutes, perio

The Archeologisch Museum Haarlem is located in the basement of the Vleeshal. The museum is dedicated to the cultural heritage of Kennermerland. It illustrates how in four thousand years Haarlem has become what it is today. In showcases archaeological finds are displayed, including earthenware pots,

Streekmuseum De Roode Tooren illustrates the history of the ‘oude Richterambt Doesborgh ‘, which consisted of the town Doesburg and the former municipalities Angerlo, Hummelo and Keppel. The museum displays a ‘tabakskerverij’, a small industrial businesses from 1894, an old grocery store and collect

Belmonte Arboretum Wageningen has plant collections that are valuable for research, or that have a social or cultural-historical value. It has 1,500 species of rhododendrons in its collection, which is the largest collection of rhododendrons in the Benelux. Additionally, there are trees of cherries,

The Museum voor Anatomie en Pathologie is situated in the study centre of the Radboudumc. Both the Department of Anatomy and the department of Pathology are accessible to visitors. The collection of the museum includes embryos, fetuses and various parts of the human body (preparations).

Museumwinkel Albert Heijn is an old grocery store. The museum exhibits the original furnishings and inventory. It illustrates grocery shopping in more than a century ago. Among other things, the museum exhibits jars with white and black candy, licorice, ‘suikerbrood’, rennet used for cheese and pepp

Warmoes de Historische Tuinderij Lent is a ‘warmoezeniersbedrijf’, as they existed in the region during the thirties. Old species and varieties of flowers, fruits and vegetables are grown in the traditional way. It includes an orchard with old apple, cherry, plum and pear varieties. In addition, the

The Zijper Museum is the very starting point where the history of polder the Zijpe comes alive. Visitors learn many remarkable facts about one of Hollands oldest polders in a modern, interactive manner. In the permanent exposition history is presented through objects, maps, movies and animations. Pa

The Fort near Asperen is a military heritage site and part of the New Dutch Waterline that is on the nomination list for UNESCO World Heritage. The fort is a so-called tower fort that was built from 1840 onwards. Tower forts were often built in the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. This tower is made

The Driels Museum is housed in a former school building from 1893. It is a local history museum that illustrates the history of Alem, Hoenzadriel, Kerkdriel and Velddriel. The museum focusses on the economic activity in the villages in the last hundred years. In addition it covers daily life and the

The Sint-Walburgisbasiliek dates back to the 14th century and is the oldest church building in Arnhem. In the Middle Ages it was a collegiate church. One of the side chapels is decorated as a treasury that features liturgical objects, such as ciboria, candlesticks and chalices. Important are a chass

The Kopermolen is a centre for art and culture. Exhibitions are organized that last for six weeks before they are changed. The exhibitions are always on artists from the region. The museum organizes exhibitions of paintings, sculptures, jewellery, glass art, photos and other art forms. The art that

Odapark is a centre for contemporary art. It features a tearoom and sculpture forest where exhibitions are organized on contemporary art. Exhibitions are organized with works by artists from the Netherlands, but also from other countries. The exhibits are usually associated with a specific theme and

Museum Vaassen Historie is dedicated to the local history of Vaassen. The museum focusses on local industries, such as chocolate factory Venz, foundry Vulcanus, the cotton factory Utermöhlen and the aluminum industry (VFP). The collection includes a variety of films, pictures, products and utensils.

Huize Frankendael is the only remaining ‘buitenplaats’ in Watergraafsmeer. Huize Frankendael combines space, peace, culture, nature and gastronomy. It includes an English styled garden, an authentic carriage house and art exhibitions in ‘landhuis’ Frankendael. On Sunday, tours are organised to learn

The Museum voor het kruideniersbedrijf is located in a 17th century building. The property has always been a commercial building. Nowadays it features a shop and an exhibition space. In the shop a wide range of nostalgic merchandise is on offer, including candy from the old days. In the exhibition s

Museumgemaal Cremer is a pumping station from 1930. Natural gas production caused subsidence which made the building of a new pumping station inevitable. In 2002, the pumping station was no longer used and became a museum pumping station. It is named after father and son Cremer, hydraulic engineers

The Bunker Museum illustrates life in a bunker. The story is told of the German soldiers that were sometimes here for a few months to defend the Atlantic Wall. The bunker still features weapons, various other equipment and communications devices. Every year the museum focusses on a different theme.

Wassenaar Fire Department Museum is located in the basement of De Paauw Town Hall. The museum has a complete collection of historical material from 300 years of firefighting in Wassenaar.

Museum of Ceramics Pablo Rueda Lara displays works by Spanish artist Pablo Rueda Lara. He created works in clay, textiles, paper, wood, tin, enamel, bronze and marble, but became especially famous for his ceramic works. The exhibition will present artworks representing all the techniques Rueda Lara

Museum Dorpsbehoud Papendrecht is dedicated to the cultural history of Papendrecht. An important event in the history of the area was the crash of a British Lancaster bomber in 1944. The museum exhibits include items from the bomber and photographs of the crew.

KunstaanZ focuses on visual art of the 20th and 21st centuries. The exhibitions show a variety with photographs, paintings, sculptures, creations, film, theater and music. Opening hours and location may vary.

The ACEC (Apeldoorn Center for Contemporary Culture) is a business building with an exhibition space and café in the center of Apeldoorn. Created as a workshop and warehouse, today the industrial building houses art, culture and hospitality. In the ACEC all forms of visual language are represented i

Cheese and Butter Museum De Weistaar paints a picture of the making of cheese and butter, as well as farm facades, a village square and streets with authentic stores dressed with lifelike dolls in traditional costumes.

The Bolwerksmolen dates back to 1863. It is the only wind-powered saw mill in the province of Overijssel. Demonstrations on sawing, grinding, hoisting logs from the water, hoisting and securing trees on the saw carriage, among others, are given.

The Weaver's House is an urban farmhouse that dates back to the early 1600s. The small house has half-timbered walls, wall and ceiling paintings. A permanent exhibit features a 300-year-old loom, various textile work forms, spinning wheels and old tools. There are regular demonstrations of old craft

Oudheidkamer Kaaphoornvaarders seeks to keep alive the memory of the search for the third route to India. Among other things, the museum displays antique nautical instruments and models of the historic sailing ships Netherlands, Europa, Pamir and Potosi.

Museum Pumping Station Caners is dedicated to Pumping Station Caners built in 1933 in the style of the Delft School. The pumping station drained the polders behind it. The museum exhibits include photographs, maps and old tools of the water board. In addition, a number of films about the past and pr

The House of Nijmegen History is the starting point for everyone who wants to know more about the history of the oldest city in the Netherlands. Everyone is welcome in the House of Nijmegen History. We take you into the history of the city and region. In fact, the House organizes exhibitions, lectu

ARCAM is an information centre for architecture. It features a collection that includes leaflets, websites, architecture routes and maps. On the ground floor is an exhibition space where an exhibition is organized five times a year.

Streekmuseum Jan Anderson is dedicated to the history of Vlaardingen. Crafts get a lot of attention at the museum. Among other things, it shows a blacksmith shop, a painting workshop, a school class, a shoemaking shop and a polishing corner. In addition, the museum displays photographs, prints and s

Museum Ceuclum is housed in a more than 500-year-old church tower. The museum is dedicated to the history of the region. Special attention is paid to prehistory and the Roman period. Using archaeological finds, information panels, drawings and photographs, the story is told.

The Sint-Pieters museum on the Lichtenberg tells the story of the municipality of Sint-Pieter, which merged into the municipality of Maastricht in 1920. The museum exhibits include photographs, soil finds, fossils and various other objects.

The Groninger Schaatsmuseum Sappemeer displays skates that are sometimes region- and/or province-specific. There are also models developed by private individuals that bear their names. In addition to ice skates, the museum displays various objects related to ice skating.

Museum Het Joodse Schooltje was an old schoolhouse until 1996. Today it is a monument in memory of the Jewish inhabitants of Leek.

Museum Oud Asperen is housed in a small nineteenth-century worker's house, much of which has been restored to its original state.

Diving Museum Lemmer displays the developments in materials that humans have used to explore life underwater. Already in the time before Christ, divers donned their equipment to explore the underwater world.

The Batavus Museum displays a collection of more than 150 bicycles from the company's origins to contemporary bicycles. The museum was established in 2004 because of the centennial anniversary of bicycle manufacturer Batavus.

The Tuberculosis Museum is located in the former X-ray house on the sanatorium grounds. It features an exhibition on the history of tuberculosis control in the North.

Owner Bas Beckers created and restored stained glass and stained glass windows as a glazier for many years. His collection is on display in the Bas stained glass museum.

The foundation of the Retro Audio Museum is a unique private collection of about 500 cassette decks, cassette recorders, reel-to-reel recorders and other audio equipment, mostly produced in the 1980s.

The collection of Carnavalesque Kaaiendonk Historical Fools in cabinets collected and donated by Kaaiendonk.

Oudheidkamer Beilen exhibits a historical collection of paintings, furniture, jewellery and other objects from Beilen that date back from the period 1800-1950. The paintings include works by Egbert van Drielst, Alphonse Stengelin and Reinhart Dozy. In addition the museum exhibits Chinese porcelain,

Museum Home of Football exhibits include jerseys, books, pennants, balls, scarves and clothing. The material is from several clubs. Owner Baars' stories about the exhibits complete the story.

The Goors Historisch Museum is housed in a station building from 1865. The museum illustrates the history of Goor. The museum focusses on the textile history of Goor from 1833 and presents an overview of the manors and castles in Goor. A large model illustrates how Goor looked like in 1560. The muse

Museum 't Stadhuus illustrates the history and culture of Hardenberg and its surroundings. The museum exhibits many preserved archaeological finds from prehistoric times. The collection of the museum includes objects such as utensils, weapons, tools and a tomb. There is also a ‘style room’ and a dec

Historisch Museum Hedel is housed in the former town hall. The collection includes objects from the beginning of the Christian era to the present. In addition to these objects, the museum exhibits topographic maps, historical prints, a photo collection, agricultural machines from Hedel and coins. Th

Historisch Museum Capelle is located in the J.A. Beijerinck pumping station. The museum organizes exhibitions on historical subjects related to Capelle. In the ‘Regentenkamer’ the visitor learns about the history of Capelle. Old photos and other images are exhibited here. The museum also features th

Peat and Vivianne Miedema are both are important to Hoogeveen. The average inhabitant of the place will tell about them with pride. And it is therefore with due pride that both subjects are told about in De Verhalenwerf. Twice a year there are changing exhibitions in De Verhalenwerf that are tied t

The Kunstenlab organizes exhibitions on contemporary art. Exhibitions always have to contribute to the discussion on current social issues and themes. Art is thus used to highlight new perspectives and to encourage thinking about the themes. The exhibitions usually consist of various installations,

De Koffietuin is located in a farmhouse, parts of which are from 1610. The museum exhibits various objects related to coffee, with special focus on the roasting, grinding, making and serving of coffee. The museum displays photographs of the coffee picking at the plantation in Indonesia. In addition,

The Stoottroepen Museum is a museum dedicated to the history of the ‘stoottroepen’ – soldiers of the Dutch Army – which started after the Second World War. The ‘stoottroepen’ were not only present in the Second World War, but also in the Dutch East Indies, New Guinea and the former Yugoslavia. In ad

The museum is momentarily not opened. Due to a move the collection is now in storage.

Museum Hillesluis is a museum for contemporary art. The museum organizes eight to ten changing exhibitions, displays and projects each year. Artists from the region often take center stage.

Museum of Crafts is a small museum where three small historic buildings display various old tools of different trades, a worker's cottage and a chapel.

The Tobacco Historical Museum Delft is housed in an old cigar store. The museum shows a collection of pipes, snuff boxes, tools, packaging and literature in the field of tobacco. In addition, the museum focuses on the oldest cigar factory in the Netherlands, that of A. Hillen of Delft.

Football Museum Fanatic (Voetbalmuseum Fanatic Mierlo) is a football (soccer) museum in Mierlo established by Jos van Lenssen who has been collecting football memorabila for more than 25 years, including football shirts, shoes and panniers. The football museum is located in the sports hotel HUP in M

The fisher ambulance museum shows ambulances throughout the years have been produced by the gebr. fisher.

The Infocentre WW2 Nijmegen is a historical, tourist and educational information point. It gives visitors an introduction to the stories, historical heritage, events and museums that the Rijk van Nijmegen region has to offer when it comes to the Second World War.

Witte`s Museum is a private museum dedicated to photographic and radio equipment. The museum has a collection of more than 1,500 still cameras and 800 radios. The collection shows an important piece of the history of photography and radio. Among other things, there is a tube radio from 1920 on displ

Hourglass Museum Glanerbrug is a museum dedicated to hourglasses. Among other things, the museum displays various hourglasses, cooking timers, docking clocks, stopwatches, beaker clock. But also photographs, stamps and telephone cards with hourglass motif. The hourglasses are very diverse: with bell

Automuseum Schagen displays about fifty vintage cars of various makes, including Dutch DAFs, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Citroën, Renault and Peugeot. In addition, the museum displays a collection of motorcycles and mopeds and old farm tools.

The Jordaanmuseum organizes exhibitions, walks and themed days.

The Computer Museum exhibits a collection on technical and scientific electronic computing equipment that illustrates the progress in computer technology and its use from World War II to the present day.

Museum Le Poilu is the only publicly accessible '14-'18 war museum in the Netherlands. Through dioramas, the museum depicts the life of trench soldiers during the First World War. The dioramas show soldiers and officers on the western front during the war with an emphasis on the front during the Bat

Museum Sisters of Charity is located in one of the former chapels of the convent complex on the Oude Dijk in Tilburg. The museum paints a picture of the life and work of the sisters.