Combination indoor and outdoor museum, and yet somehow not widely known in the tourist guides of Netherlands. This is a must-see and even doubles up as a good day-trip outside of Amsterdam.
The ticket includes a boat ride to the two museums from near the Enkhuizen train station. The ride itself takes about 20 minutes to get to the open air museum, but you could also walk there in about as much time.
Once inside, it's almost like you're in a real Dutch village. You can walk around, smell the nature, and even find a decent lunch. Only when you start reading the signs do you realize that it's an open-air museum that's designed to be very functional, much like as if you were a resident.
The houses seem to have been relocated to the museum or rebuilt entirely. The furniture is dated, and it's fun to take a glimpse of life in the country decades ago. You get a map with your ticket to explore at your own pace.
The highlight is the fishing village, which is rich with houses, implements, and stories of people who lost their lives at the sea. Then, you also get to experience a fully functional steam powered laundromat! It's a wonderful experience, much unlike a traditional museum. You can walk on a dike and partake in fun activities. There's even an artificial canal.
The indoor part is also well done. Tip: if you have a Dutch transportation chip-card, you can sign up with your Facebook account to get a free memento of your choice. I got a magnet. There's a lot of flood and water engineering related history to explore inside. There are preserved ships that you can take photos with, just not climb on. The museum focuses on the area around Volendam, which is known for fishing, sailing, and for their costumes. Oh yeah, your kids can also get photos taken in traditional Dutch garb.
While most museums get boring after the first visit, Zuiderzee is a whole new experience every time. Just keep in mind that the fun ends at 5, even in the summer months. read more