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The Westfries Museum is closed for a long period of time due to extensive restoration, renovation and renewal. However, we will continue to tell the story of the history of Hoorn and West Friesland online and in the city. Follow the renovation via our Renovation blog. Discover our online exhibitions Pala – Nutmeg Tales of Banda and the Battle of the Zuiderzee. And visit us  in our temporary Museum location Statenpoort: the starting point to discover the city.

Renovation blog Statenpoort
Statencollege aan Roode Steen Hoorn
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Discover the story of Hoorn In the Statenpoort

Our museum is closed for a long period of time due to extensive restoration, renovation and renewal. However, we will continue to tell the story of the history of Hoorn and West Friesland. Visit us at our temporary Museum location in the Statenpoort on Nieuwstraat. We have transformed the Aldermen’s Hall of this former Hoorn Town Hall into a small theatre. There you will experience the multimedia show ‘Discover the story of Hoorn’: the inspiring starting point for discovering the city. Then walk through Hoorn’s monumental wealth and history with the accompanying pod walk or walking guide. After all, history is in the streets in Hoorn…

Read more about Discover the story of Hoorn Book tickets
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Online exhibition Battle of the Zuiderzee

In 2023, it will be exactly 450 years since the Battle of the Zuiderzee took place. Hoorn freed itself from the Spaniards through this epic naval battle, an event that was a turning point in Dutch history. Because the free trade via the Zuiderzee made Hoorn and the other West Frisian cities very prosperous. And Hoorn and the region contributed to world history for a while. In 2023, Hoorn – and thus also the Westfries Museum – will celebrate the anniversary of this historic event. And we celebrate the importance of freedom then and now.

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Online exhibition Pala – Nutmeg tales of Banda

How far does the echo of a historical event reach? Far, as the case of the 1621 Banda massacre proves. More than 400 years on, the horrific events on the nutmeg islands still hold people’s attention. On Banda, in Indonesia and in the Netherlands. And today perhaps more than ever before. That was the reason for our museum in 2021 to develop an online exhibition during the covid closure. ‘Pala – Nutmeg tales of Banda’ highlights the rich history and culture of the Banda Islands and complements the events of 1621 with new and critical perspectives. This many-voiced exhibition provides room for the Bandanese story and the viewpoints of the Moluccan community in the Netherlands.

Visit the online exhibition Pala

Curious about the collection?

Our current collection comprises some 38,000 objects, including paintings, sculptures, jewellery and utensils. Together, they tell the story of the history of Hoorn and of the Netherlands between 1500 and 1800, with the 17th century as their focal point.

Currently, our museum is undergoing renovation and is closed. The Collections department is therefore unable to handle research inquiries, documentation inquiries, appraisals, loan requests, and internship applications until mid-2024. Our collection is currently housed in an external depot, which meets strict climate and safety requirements, and will be on display again when the renewed museum opens. But online, our masterpieces can still be admired.

More about our collection
Schilderij met zicht op stad en planten