Gravensteen
Special museums
Museums
The panoply of museums in Zeeland brings our history to life. Every museum tells a different tale, so you’ll learn much about our rich past. And how the war years shaped Zeeland, and about our fisheries and fruit. Take time to visit some of the numerous local museums in our midst.
Special museums
Het Gravensteen
The Gravensteen museum in Zierikzee is a must. Seeing the stone etchings in its walls you’ll discover centuries-old carvings in the thick oaken walls by robbers, swordsmen and smugglers, and see the heavy stones that women accused of being rumour-mongers had to wear around their neck while walking around town.
Grote Kerk Veere Experience
Our legacy is brought magically to life in the Grote Kerk Veere Experience in its magnificent building. History comes from this interactive platform of audio-visuals, 3D-audio segs and a swirl of animations about Grote Kerk’s mysteries and secrets in Veere.
Aren’t you a little bored with museums that tell you not to touch things as you look round? If so, you should try visiting Zeeland’s museum of industry in Sas van Gent. The Industrieel Museum Zeeland, housed in an old sugar warehouse, tells the fascinating story of Zeeland’s industrial past and present. Did you know that Zeeland is the number one knowledge centre for industrial sectors which sell their goods across the globe? Come and discover some of the amazing products made by Zeeland’s industry at the Industrieel Museum Zeeland.
Top tips on
special museums
Kid-proof museums
Museum train
Kids can have a lot of adventure in Zeeuwse museums. Like a trip on a trip back in time on a real steam loc. The original museum train from Goes to Borsele runs on its very own line. Starting in Goes, it goes through Kwadendamme to Hoedekenskerke. Sure, a real clippie conductor will check your tickets, while the stoker sweats away performing the long-forgotten fireman tasks of feeding coal to the fire.
The Terra Maris Museum of Nature
Terra Maris in Oostkapelle hosts the nature and landscape museum of the Zeeuwse Landschap foundation. It’s based in the former orangery of Westhove castle and is a real adventure for youngsters – with a wealth of beauty and information for adults. Behind it, you’ll find all the elements of our very varied Zeeuwse landscape.
Sjakie's Chocolate Museum
The largest assortment of the only chocolate museum in the Netherlands. Young visitors are shown around the Willy Wonka Villa and get a real 'golden ticket'. You’ll see how to make chocolate, from A to Z – and be able to taste 30 different varieties. Must be fun!
Another child-friendly museum of ours is the Zeeuws Maritiem muZEEum in Vlissingen. It explains what the sea means to us Zeeuwen.
Unearth Zeeuwse history
Watersnoodmuseum
Any visit to Zeeland just has to include the National Flood Museum, the Watersnoodmuseum. The 1953 disaster, known as ‘De Ramp’, is an inseparable part of Zeeland. This sinew goes deep, time after time. To this day, many a Zeeuw will not sleep easily if it’s stormy outside – despite the defence of the Delta Works. Listen to the account of the child who floated in a basket of reeds to service. Look in awe at the caissons which were used to close the breached dikes. And wise up on how we Zeeuw people cope with water today.
Zeeuws Museum
It’s worth taking the guided tour around the masterpieces in the Zeeuws Museum, anchored in the historical heart of Middelburg. This medieval abbey is home to archaeological finds and world-famous tapestries, costumes, paintings and exotic items brought ‘home’ by Zeeuwen from their distant journeys. The exhibitions rotate and are always linked to the present day. Special activities are held regularly for young and old, such as in the ‘Werkplaats’ workshop zone.
Local museums
In Zeeland you’ll find a variety of local museums, such as in Goes and Sint-Annaland. The Warenhuis in Axel merits special attention, letting you experience just how people lived in the area of the Land van Axel, in the days from 1850 to 1950. How they looked and lived, and what they liked to do. Take a trip back in time! Go!
The Battle of the Schelde
History truly comes to life in our museums. Take the gripping and barely-known story of the liberation of the southern Netherlands in the battle of the Schelde (estuary). Back in 1944, the advances of the Allied forces were brought to a grinding halt because the troops on the front-line had too few supplies. It was essential to bring them through Antwerp harbour. This in turn required ensuring access to Antwerp, hence the battle (‘Slag’) of the Schelde. It was a very bitter battle, involving numerous victims and much destruction – important to the further liberation of the Netherlands. So little is known about this event.
In order to submerge the island of Walcheren during the war, the sea dike (Zeedijk) was breached by bombs in Westkapelle. Listen to local people’s recollections in the Polderhuis in Westkapelle. And feel their force when out on a beach walk, immediately behind the museum.
The battle of the Schelde included a fierce fight for the eastern part of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen – explained in the Gdynia museum. Good to visit the Bevrijdingsmuseum Zeeland in Nieuwdorp, the province’s largest museum and dedicated to the tumultuous years of the Second World War.
War stories come to life
The forgotten battle of the ‘Slag om de Schelde’
Want to discover more culture
in Zeeland?
Or just all our Zeeland museums?
You’ll find a complete listing of all museums in Zeeland here. You can sort it by choice, such as town and region. Note, it may not be up to date, so to be sure, call ahead to the museum you want to visit.
