Watersnoodmuseum, Zeeland Province, The Netherlands
4.5 (439 reviews) Monday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Ranking #1 in Ouwerkerk Speciality Museums
An absolute must when visiting the Netherlands
I lived in the Netherlands for 22 years and had read about the water disatster and had heard about it from collegues, but nothing prepares you for the experience of this museum. I always just thought a dyke broke and an area was flooded. However the scale of the disaster was enormous and this museum really gives a wonderful account of what happened with stories about real people and what they went through. I would describe it as a Tsunami hitting the Dutch coast in 1953 and killing more than 2000 people. It's very sad but gives a great account of the disaster and the way the Dutch have defended their coast now with the Delta works. The staff were amazing and extremely helpful. Thank you so much for making our visit wonderful.
Address
Weg van de Buitenlandse Pers 5, 4305 RJ Ouwerkerk The Netherlands
Mobile
Website
http://watersnoodmuseum.nl
Working hours
Monday : 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday : 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday : 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday : 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday : 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday : 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday : 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Current local date and time now
Monday, May 13, 2024, 11:19
User Ratings
4.5 based on (439 reviews)
Reviews
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5Hoosierdaddy 5:00 PM Jan 3, 2020
Watersnood Museum Visit
Visiting the Watersnood Museum is off the beaten path, so you may need to rent a car with GPS, as we did from Schiphol Airport. It’s an easy 1.5 hour drive from Amsterdam, and road signs are in Dutch and English. We wanted to learn how the Dutch managed their intricate dike system since much of the world faces the threat of global sea level rise. You can watch films and see hundreds of relics and exhibits from the great flood in 1953 that killed over 1,800 Dutch citizens. The exhibition goes into great detail about the engineering feats that stopped the deadly dike breaches. The bookstore sells materials on water management and global sea level rise in many languages. Outside, you can climb up a platform to gaze across the vast dike system and nearby oceanside in a very tranquil setting. A cafe is also onsite.
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4Sarah W 5:00 PM Aug 23, 2022
Interesting and heartbreaking
Incredibly interesting and heartbreaking. This museum really drew us in to the story of what happened in 1953 when the dykes were breached and the long lasting impact of this on the areas affected. The museum is thoughtfully planned with each section having a slightly different focus. Much of it was translated from Dutch to English but the video area of the witnesses involved had no translation or subtitles so that was a shame. There is a small cafe part way round but is only really for drinks and a small snack - not lunch. All in all, a good experience and would definitely recommend.
