Zuiderzeemuseum outdoor — Attraction in Enkhuizen

This outdoor museum consists of a charming collection of 140 buildings taken from fishing villages around the former zuiderzee. Volunteers in period costumes and the restored cottages reflect life on the Zuiderzee between 1880 and 1930. The completion of the Afsluitdijk in 1932 blocked access to the sea freezing these villages in time.

Each cottage describes the lives of families that lived there. Workshops, boatyards even a pleurisy cabin for Tb patients are on display. The small commercial street has a pharmacy with a gaper collection (carved heads displayed outside pharmacies when people were illiterate). There's a nice cafe, a good bakery and smoked fish vendors. It took me most of and afternoon to see it all.

In late May the weather was lovely and the crowds were sparse (especially compared to Amsterdam). I highly...

I am not really a museum person as I do get bored easily! Having said that, this is a museum that brings history to life. We took the ferry, which is included in the entry cost, from Enkhuizen. This is a short trip of about 10 minutes over the water to the Outside part of the museum. The museum is set up as an actual village where you can enter every building and see just what they would have been like back in time. There is a bronze age farmhouse, 19th century cottages, a chemist's, church, dry cleaner's, post office to name just a few of the attractions. There are also catering facilities which are not expensive. We spent the afternoon there and did not have time to see everything. A great day out and kids will...

Lovely open air museum focused on the history and culture of/around the former Zuiderzee. Smaller than its brother in Arnhem, but many strong points, including arrival by boat from the main car park. There is a much stronger sense of visiting a complete historic Dutch village, rather than a collection of transplanted redundant buildings. I particularly enjoyed the new Sjabbat in Enkhuizen (as practised by the Kornalijnslijper family) presentation, reminding us powerfully and appropriately of Jewish life around the former Zuiderzee outside of Amsterdam, so very sadly almost completely vanished...