Casemates Museum — Attraction in Súdwest-Fryslân

The famous casemates of Kornwerderzand on the Afsluitdijk. The German Blitzkrieg ran aground in the May days of 1940. Only 225 Dutch soldiers managed to stop about 17.000 Germans. The fortress remained in Dutch hands until the surrender of Dutch forces on 15 May. Commander Boers complimented his men by stating that although they had fought like lions, in other parts of the country their armies had been defeated. Boers himself led the surrender. In 1943, the occupying German military improved the defenses by building three additional bunkers.

In the Casemates Museum stories and exhibitions about the period from the construction of the Afsluitdijk to the period of the “Cold War”. You take a route where you will pass all casemates and sights that are spread over a considerable area. You really get a sense of how it must have been during the fighting.

Unfortunately the website does not do justice to the museum. It gives little little information about the exhibits themselves and what to expect, it is more of a history lesson. This museum is definitely worth visiting, not only for the history buffs among us but families and tourist alike wil have a great time. The prices are fare and the staff is great.

The Afsluitdijk itself is worth a visit. It’s a major dam and causeway in the Netherlands. It was constructed between 1927 and 1932 and has a length of 32 kilometers (20 miles) and a width of 90 meters (300 ft), at an initial height of 7.25 meters (23.8 ft) above sea level. The dam serves as a sea barrier to protect the inland against flooding. You can drive your car and see the fight of the Dutch people against the water...

It is a Must if you are in the area. Very interactive, not bored even for a second. Dutch speaker can have a little booklet for the kids with questions. It is a challenge for kids and adults. Doggies welcome, water prepared for them. Two advice if you are with a bigger dog: 1. Drive the dog and your family directly to the entrance, drop them off and then go to the other side for parking. The reason: the steps which lead you from the parking place to the entrance are not good for the dogs' feet. They can hurt themselves easily. The steps in the museum are made of iron which can be very hot easily. So lead your dog next to the step if possible. You can count +/- 3 hours for your visit if you have smaller kids. The museum is super, you can imagine the life of the soldiers. The air is fresh, a very good outdoor activity. You will get a broshure in your chosen langiage NL, EN or DE. The only negative is that the explanation is available only in Dutch. The broshure gives you only the basic informaton bit not the fine details. It is really nice experience. And the view...

We visited the Casemate Museum near Harlingen and it was absolutely amazing. The bunkers are in incredible condition – almost like new – and filled with exhibitions and artifacts. There is also a fantastic educational trail with well-presented stories, everything is very clear, informative, and well maintained.

The cannons and weapons displays were really impressive. In the Czech Republic we also have many fortresses, but we have never seen any in such an excellent state as here. There was a huge amount of information to take in, and the whole tour took about 2 hours.

We would definitely like to return in the future and highly recommend this museum to everyone...