The 20th Century. A period in which our parents sat surrounded by orange and brown wallpaper around a fondue set, listening to ‘Dancing Queen’ by ABBA. In contrast, our grandparents decorated their living rooms with lace doilies and rubber plants. The Museum of the 20th Century (Museum van de 20e Eeuw) in Hoorn shows how daily life looked in the last century through hundreds of items.

• Museum with a fantastic location in a former prison on Oostereiland.
• Regular temporary exhibitions with themes especially for children.
• Hundreds of original objects from the 20th century.

This museum awakens memories

Whoever visits the Museum of the 20th Century with Gran and Grandpa will hear happy cries of: ‘We had that radio in the living room at home! And I bought a tape recorder like that for my 40th birthday! We had the same blackboards and wooden desks in school!’ The museum in Hoorn promises a short time traveling trip to those years when telephones didn’t have touchscreens, but dials.

A glimpse into the daily life of the last century

Using hundreds of objects from the period between 1900 and 1980, the visitors dive into times gone by. They enter an early classroom, wander through an Aunt Emma store, take a look at their grandparents’ kitchen and living room and marvel at gramophones and old-fashioned televisions. Many rooms are in their original state and – from the curtains to the table decorations to the furniture – are kept in the style of the respective period.

Once a prison, now a museum

The imposing building, which is located on the island of Oostereiland between Hoorn harbor and Markermeer, served as a prison in the 19th and 20th centuries. The inmates had to carry out light work, for example, sorting raisins (krenten) which is why the prison bears the nickname ‘Raisin Garden’ (krententuin). Following three years of renovations, the Museum of the 20th Century moved into the former prison in 2012.

Pretty town on Markermeer: Hoorn

Hoorn is impressive – next to the Museum of the 20th Century – with historic monuments from the 17th century when the town was one of the most important centers for commercial shipping and experienced a period of prosperity. How wealthy Hoorn was then is evidenced by the magnificent buildings of the Old Town and the valuable art objects in the Westfries Museum. In contrast to the Museum of the 20th Century, the Westfries Museum is dedicated to the 17th century which in Holland is known as the Golden Age.

Staying in Hoorn

Combine a visit to the Museum of the 20th Century with a long weekend in Hoorn and its surroundings. Recommended is a trip on the historic narrow-gauge steam railway which takes you leisurely from Hoorn to Medemblik with a lot of steam and snorting. From Medemblik you can take a – equally historic – ship over the IJsselmeer to Enkhuizen so that you don’t have to go home after such a full day on the steam railway and in the Museum of the 20th Century (Het Museum van de 20e Eeuw) you can even stay in the cells of the former prison on Oostereiland!

Museum of the 20th Century
Krententuin 24 (Oostereiland)
1621 DG Hoorn (NH)
Phone: 0229-214001
E-mail: info@museumhoorn.nl
Website: www.museumhoorn.nl

Open:

Monday till Friday 10-17, saterday and Sunday: 12-17

Closed on 25th december, 1 january and Queensday 27th april

 
Free AudioTour in English!
 

Museum of the 20th Century

This unique museum opened in 1994. It houses an impressive collection of objects from the 20th century that will appeal to both young and old alike! Your visit will take you on a nostalgic journey through the last century that offers something for everyone, from young children to their grandparents.  An English audio tour is available at the reception free of charge.

The Museum moved in 2011 to imposing new premises on Oostereiland in the historic harbour of Hoorn. The Museum has an elevator and other excellent facilities for disabled people. It furthermore has a Museum Shop, where you will find a large selection of books and interesting and nostalgic gifts.

Over a two-year period, the former prison complex “De Krententuin” was transformed to accommodate not only the Museum of the 20th Century, but also Cinema Oostereiland, together with a Brasserie and a Tourist Information Centre. A superb view of Hoorn and the IJsselmeer can be enjoyed from the whole of Oostereiland.  During the summer the harbour bustles with pleasure boats, old Dutch barges and cruise ships.



In the permanent museum collection, you will find many familiar but long forgotten items from the last century. These include the first electrical gadgets and household equipment, to classical children’s toys and games. Children can enjoy playing with Lego, and the younger children can entertain themselves with Thomas the Tank Engine.  You can visit a high street with a Baker’s Shop, Haberdashery, Hairdresser, Printers, and then wander around rooms styled according to different decades of the 20th century. There is also an old-fashioned classroom with wooden desks. Sometimes, during school holidays, children can sit in on a real lesson, as they were given in the last century.


 

The Edison Collection – a feast for eyes and ears

 (semi-permanent exhibition)
The Museum exhibits a stunning Edison collection of audio material from the beginning of the last century. We are privileged to have Jelle Attema’s collection of phonographs and gramophones on loan to our Museum.  The Edison Collection conjures up the authentic sphere from the 1900’s until the 1930’s.

Route

We are located on Oostereiland, a peninsula in the harbor of Hoorn.

Hoorn is not far away from Amsterdam!

By car from Amsterdam it takes about 25 minutes to Hoorn.

By train from Amsterdam it takes about 33 minutes. There are two fast trains per hour.

Directions by car

Hoorn is on the A7 (Amsterdam – Afsluitdijk – Leeuwarden).  You take the junction Hoorn (not West or Noord) and you follow the blue ANWB (Tourist Office) signs HAVENS and by P-HAVENS you can park your car free of charge.  You would then walk for about 10 minutes to the Centrum (Centre) of Hoorn and you will see the Green Arrows/signs for the Museum of the 20th Century.  The Route planner would take you directly to the Museum itself where you cannot park so please follow the above directions.

Parking in Hoorn

The whole of the centre of Hoorn is PAID parking!  Most of the places are for Permit Holders only.  It is sensible therefore to park free of charge by P-HAVENS (Parking De Nieuwe Wal).  On Oostereiland only invalid parking is available. If you are bringing goods to the Museum or if you are an invalid or semi invalid you can announce this by the parking barrier at the back of the Oostereiland.  The barrier would then be lifted.

Touring Cars and Busses

Busses cannot arrive in front of the Museum of the 20th Century.  They should drop and pick up their passengers at the beginning of Visserseiland about 200 meters away from the Museum. Busses can also park on the parking lot De Nieuwe Wal, see instructions above.

By Train

You should take the train to the main station of HOORN and then follow the green arrows “musea” and ‘Museum van de Twintigste Eeuw’.  It is a pleasant walk taking about 20 minutes through the historic old centre of Hoorn.  You can also take a taxi.  There are small open electric tourist busses which would also bring you from the Station to the Museum of the 20th Century.
 
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