The oldest World War II museum in Western Europe, with more than 150 vehicles, aircraft, and boats, plus exhibitions on occupation and liberation.
27. september 2026 – 2. maj 2027
Thirty photos from archives around the world, plus videos, show how Nazi propaganda built up Hitler’s image and how it crumbled from 1943 onward; curated by NIOD historians Erik Somers and René Kok.
In the fall of 1944, Overloon became the scene of one of the fiercest battles on Dutch soil, as Allied and German troops fought over the village for days. What remained was a destroyed village and a forest full of wrecked tanks and vehicles. Municipal official Harrie van Daal suggested setting up a museum on the site to honor the liberators. It opened as early as May 25, 1946 – the first World War II museum in Western Europe.
Over the decades, the open-air grounds with the battlefield’s remnants developed into the Nationaal Oorlogs- en Verzetsmuseum. In 2006 the vehicle collection of the Marshall Museum in Zwijndrecht was added, and for a time the museum went by the name Liberty Park. Today it is simply called Oorlogsmuseum Overloon and is run by the Stichting Nederlands Nationaal Oorlogs- en Verzetsmuseum; the collection is managed by the Stichting Historisch Materiaal Overloon.
The museum is set in a wooded park of about 14 hectares. A hall the size of two soccer fields always holds at least 150 vehicles, guns, boats, and aircraft, including a Panther left behind after the fighting around Overloon. Other exhibitions use eight eyewitnesses to show life under occupation and the rise and fall of the Third Reich, along with an immersive re-creation of the Normandy landings. A cycling path also runs across a bridge straight through the vehicle hall.
| Voksne | 18,50 € |
|---|---|
| Nedsat pris | 13,50 €Holders of the Dutch veteran’s pass (online; €15 at the ticket desk) |
| Børn og unge | 13,50 €gratis til og med 3 år · Children ages 4 to 12 €13.50 online, €15 at the ticket desk; teens 13 and older pay the adult price. |
| Pensionister | –No senior discount listed. |
| Personer med handicap | –A reduced rate is available at the ticket desk for visitors with severe visual impairments; companions pay the regular price. |
| Grupper (fra 20 pers.) | 17 € pr. personFrom 20 people: adults €17, children (4–12) €12, students in school classes €8, Dutch soldiers €13; reserve at least two weeks in advance. |
| Group tour of “Nederland in de Tweede Wereldoorlog” or the military collection (weekdays) | 39 €Per group of up to 15 people; €59 on weekends, plus admission. |
| Combined tour (1.5 hrs., weekdays) | 47,50 €€67.50 on weekends; not available for schools. |
| Student tour | 32,50 €Per group of up to 15 students. |
| Veteran’s talk or “Op de Vlucht” museum lesson | 77 €Per group of up to 35 people. |
Free with the Museumkaart and VriendenLoterij VIP card (no online reservation needed); World War II veterans free. Online tickets are €1.50 cheaper than at the ticket desk (ticket desk: adults €20, children €15). Discount promotions do not apply during major events. Free parking.
Largely on one level with wide paths for wheelchairs, rollators, and mobility scooters (including in D-DEX); elevators where there are changes in level. Free loaner wheelchairs at the reception desk, plus outdoor wheelchairs at the park entrance for a €1 deposit. Changing Places restroom with ceiling hoist (slings with clip fastenings available to borrow). Lightweight folding stools at the entrance, benches in the military hall. Some vehicles can be explored by touch for visitors with visual impairments. About a 10-minute walk through the park from the parking lot. No air conditioning; light and sound effects in D-DEX, “De Slag bij Overloon,” and the final film.
Velegnet til børn og familier
| Besøgets varighed | ca. 3 t. |
|---|---|
| Entré for børn | gratis til og med 3 år |
The museum describes itself as “kidsproof”: children follow eight eyewitnesses and decide for themselves what they would have done; there are daily rallies at the reception desk, and during school holidays extra programs such as a research lab, conversations with veterans, and open vehicles to climb into. A kid director promotes the museum to children their own age. Some stories and effects are distressing – parents should decide for themselves what is appropriate.
Museumlaan
On weekdays, bus 84 or 82 from Boxmeer (toward Venray) to the Museumlaan stop. No buses on weekends; alternative: OV-fiets rental bike from Vierlingsbeek station.
Gratis parkering · 10 min. til fods til indgangen
Around 100 free parking spaces at the entrance to the museum park (end of Bergkampweg, next to the sports fields), bus parking, and two EV charging points; large unattended bicycle parking area opposite the park.
Via the A73 (between Nijmegen and Venlo), exit 7 Vierlingsbeek/Overloon; Overloon is about 3 km west of the highway. The bicycle bridge through the museum is free; themed cycling route “Aan de andere kant” (59 km) to the German war cemetery at Ysselsteyn.
Planlæg ruteMuseum café “De Vrijheid” with a forest terrace, open daily and accessible without a museum ticket (no table reservations; group packages for 15–20 people or more). Bringing your own food is allowed everywhere except in the café. Dogs on a leash are welcome. Online shop available.
The Aula (€60/hr.), Parkzaal (€75/hr.), and Groene zaal (€100/hr.) are available for meetings, team days, workshops, or celebrations; only in combination with a museum visit, catering by the in-house restaurant, opening outside regular hours on request. Reserve at least three weeks in advance.
Forespørgsel & detaljer| Rundvisninger | ja · varighed ca. 60 min. |
|---|---|
| Tilbud til skoler | ja |
| Fotografering | Private photography and filming are common; (semi-)commercial shoots only with written permission. |
| Godt at vide | The museum recommends three to four hours for a visit. Group tours last about an hour (combined tour 1.5 hours), up to 15 people per guide; book at least 10 days in advance via publieksdienst@oorlogsmuseum.nl. For school classes, guided tours, museum lessons, veterans’ talks, or rallies are recommended. English information is available via a digital tour. During the fall school holidays, a free guided tour daily at 13:00. |
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