Netherlands Open-air Museum

The model for many open-air museums across Europe, the Nederlands Openluchtmuseum (Schelmsweg 89, Postbus 649, NL-6800 AP Arnhem, Netherlands; phone +31 [0]26-3576111) is the original folk museum in the Netherlands and the biggest. (In 2012, open March 30-Oct. 28. €14.95 [$18] adult, 10.50 child. Parking, €4.50.)

You’ll need a minimum of four hours to enjoy and completely immerse yourself in over 200 years of Dutch culture.

On our trip to Holland in April ’12, my husband, Ed, and I went to this open-air museum and visited examples of quaint Dutch houses, lots of windmills (few of which are seen in modern Holland) and old farmhouses, all of which have been gathered from throughout the Netherlands and reassembled. In many of the houses there are demonstrations of traditional crafts.

Be sure to ask about any special events occurring in the park the day you visit. It is also a good idea to purchase an English guidebook.

We decided to first view the multimedia exhibit “HollandRama” (20 minutes). Although all in Dutch, it did give us a feel for how the buildings were reassembled. Then we rode the historic tram around the park for an overview.

The park has several good budget restaurants and covered picnic areas. We chose to eat lunch at De Hanekamp, in a late-1800s building that was once an inn where cattle drivers and traders stayed.

We each had bowls of beef stew for €10.30 (near $13), which was pricy for what we got (mediocre quality), but, then, we were eating there for the atmosphere rather than the food.

Later we came across an old-fashioned poffertjes cart. Poffertjes are small, sweet pancakes, like crisp waffle sandwiches with honey in the middle. We also purchased a bag of yummy licorice candies from the sweet shop!

NANCY NORBERG
Mount Pleasant, SC