[email protected] +31 (0)521 360 099
Contact About us Get inspired
Nederlands English Deutsch
Visitors in traditional costume at a museum in Giethoorn

Museums in Giethoorn
history and minerals

Giethoorn has two museums. Museum Giethoorn 't Olde Maat Uus is about the history and the earlier way of life in the village, and at Museum De Oude Aarde you can see minerals, gemstones and fossils.

See the museums in Giethoorn Which museum should you choose?

Which museums are there in Giethoorn?

In the historic centre of Giethoorn you will find two well-known museums, each with a completely different subject. You can visit:

The museums are on the Binnenpad, so you can easily include them in a walk through the village. You do not have to plan a full museum day: a museum fits well into a day of boating and walking.

Binnenpad 52

Museum Giethoorn 't Olde Maat Uus

At Museum Giethoorn 't Olde Maat Uus you can find out how people used to live and work in Giethoorn. The museum is at Binnenpad 52, in the middle of the historic part of Giethoorn.

Giethoorn looks very different today from how it did in the past: the village was shaped by the water, peat extraction and the lives of its residents in this landscape, and the museum gives you a better picture of that history. After a visit you will understand better why Giethoorn looks the way it does, with its canals, little bridges, islands and farms along the water.

See Museum Giethoorn

Entrance of Museum Giethoorn 't Olde Maat Uus
Old thatched farmhouse on the canal in Giethoorn

The history of Giethoorn

If you want to know more about how Giethoorn came to be, the best thing to do is combine a visit to the village with Museum Giethoorn. You learn more about everyday life in the past and the development of the village, which gives extra meaning to what you see outside afterwards.

When you then walk along the Binnenpad or sail through the canals by boat, you look differently at the old farms, bridges and waterways. The museum is interesting for history lovers and for visitors who want to learn more about the village itself during their day trip to Giethoorn.

Binnenpad 43 · minerals & fossils

Museum De Oude Aarde Giethoorn

Museum De Oude Aarde is a minerals and fossils museum at Binnenpad 43 in Giethoorn. You can see a range of minerals, crystals, gemstones and fossils there.

De Oude Aarde is very different from Museum Giethoorn: visiting both gives you two different experiences. The museum is also in the tourist part of Giethoorn, so it is easy to combine with a walk through the village.

See De Oude Aarde

Choosing help

Which museum in Giethoorn should you choose?

Choose Museum Giethoorn if you want to know more about the village itself, and De Oude Aarde if you are interested in minerals, fossils and gemstones. Do you have enough time? Then you can of course visit both museums.

The museums are relatively close together on the Binnenpad, so you can walk from one museum to the other on the same stroll. Combining both museums is especially worthwhile if you want to spend a larger part of the day on foot in the centre of Giethoorn.

Children

Museums in Giethoorn with children

A museum visit can also be a nice change of pace during a day in Giethoorn with children. De Oude Aarde, for example, appeals to children who are interested in stones, crystals, fossils and special finds, while Museum Giethoorn shows children how different everyday life used to be.

You can combine a museum visit with activities that are a bit more active for children. Go boating first, for example, then visit a museum and finish the day with mini golf, an interactive game or pancakes.

Bad weather

Visiting a museum when it rains in Giethoorn

A museum is a good activity when the weather is less nice during your visit to Giethoorn. You do not have to cancel a day in Giethoorn straight away because of rain.

Combine a covered canal cruise with a museum visit and a leisurely lunch, for example. If it turns dry in between, you can still take a walk along the Binnenpad, so that even on a changeable day you see different parts of Giethoorn.

Covered tour boat on the canal in Giethoorn Canal cruise

Combining a museum with a canal cruise

A museum visit and a canal cruise complement each other well, because you can see Giethoorn first from the water and then through its history. During a canal cruise you sail through the village while a skipper tells you more about Giethoorn and the surroundings, and afterwards you can visit Museum Giethoorn to learn more about the village.

For groups there is also a Museum Tour, in which a canal cruise is combined with a stop at Museum Giethoorn and other parts of the day programme. That way you do not have to plan all the different activities separately.

See boat tours in Giethoorn

Combining a museum with sailing yourself

You can also combine a museum visit with hiring your own boat. A practical way to plan the day is to go boating first and then explore the village further on foot.

After boating you can walk towards the Binnenpad and visit one of the museums. The other way round works too, of course: see the museum first and then head out onto the water.

You can choose from different types of boat, including:

  • whisper boats
  • sloops (electric boats)
  • traditional punters
  • canoes
  • private boats with a skipper

See boating in Giethoorn

Combining the museums with a walk through Giethoorn

The museums are in the historic part of Giethoorn, so they are easy to make part of a walk. On such a walk you pass canals, little bridges, old farms, shops, galleries and places to eat and drink, and you decide for yourself how much time to spend on it.

Would you like more information while you walk? Then you can combine a walk with an interactive Giethoorn Quiz. Along the way you get questions, puzzles and facts about the village.

See interactive games

Visiting a museum with a group

For groups, too, a museum visit can be part of a complete day programme in Giethoorn. One example is a Museum Tour with a canal cruise and a visit to Museum Giethoorn.

You can also combine a museum visit with coffee, lunch, dinner or another activity. That suits, for example:

  • families
  • senior groups
  • clubs and societies
  • companies
  • groups of friends
  • coach parties

For larger groups, booking in advance is wise, so that the museum visit and the other activities fit together well.

What does a museum in Giethoorn cost?

Admission prices differ per museum and can change during the year. Please check the current entrance fees before your visit.

Different rates may also apply to children than to adults. Do you want to visit the museum as part of a package? Then the admission may already be included in the price of the package. Check beforehand which option suits your visit best.

Combining boating and a museum

Do you want to combine boating and a museum? Then plan the boat or canal cruise around your museum visit. That way you avoid being left with too little time for the museum.

Visiting the museums in Giethoorn

Include one of the museums in Giethoorn in your programme. Visit Museum Giethoorn 't Olde Maat Uus for the story of Giethoorn, or look at minerals, crystals and fossils at De Oude Aarde.

Combine your museum visit with boating, a canal cruise, walking and eating, and make it a complete day in Giethoorn.

Museums in Giethoorn

Museum Giethoorn 't Olde Maat Uus

Museum Giethoorn 't Olde Maat Uus

More info & contact
Museum De Oude Aarde

Museum De Oude Aarde

More info & contact

Visiting the museums in Giethoorn

Look at the museums and activities in Giethoorn and put together your own day programme.

See the museums

Frequently asked questions about museums in Giethoorn

Which museums are there in Giethoorn?

In the centre of Giethoorn you will find Museum Giethoorn 't Olde Maat Uus and Museum De Oude Aarde, among others. The museums have different themes and are easy to combine during a single visit to Giethoorn.

What is Museum Giethoorn about?

Museum Giethoorn 't Olde Maat Uus tells the story of the history and the earlier way of life in Giethoorn. It gives you a better picture of the residents, traditions and development of the village.

What is there to see at De Oude Aarde?

Museum De Oude Aarde shows minerals, gemstones, crystals, fossils and other natural finds.

Are the museums suitable for children?

Yes. Combining a museum with boating, walking or another activity makes it suitable for a family day in Giethoorn. Which museum is the most interesting depends on the child’s age and interests.

Can you combine a museum with boating?

Yes. You can hire a boat yourself first and visit a museum afterwards. You can also choose a canal cruise, and for groups there are packages in which a museum visit is part of the programme.

Are the museums a good choice in bad weather?

Yes. A museum visit is a good option when the weather is less suitable for a full day outdoors. Combine it, for example, with a covered canal cruise and lunch.

Are the museums in the centre of Giethoorn?

Yes. Museum Giethoorn 't Olde Maat Uus and Museum De Oude Aarde are both on the Binnenpad in the tourist part of Giethoorn.

Do you need to book a museum in advance?

For individual visitors this depends on the museum and the time of your visit. For groups and complete packages, booking in advance is wise.

More activities in Giethoorn

Also see archery, interactive games, e-choppers and other activities.

To Things to do

In-depth articles about museums and heritage

Information about nature, museums and heritage in Giethoorn

5 things to do in Giethoorn

6 things to do in Giethoorn