NAVIGO Visserijmuseum

About the museum

NAVIGO Fishing Museum in Oostduinkerke is devoted to the fishermen of the Flemish coast and their long history. The museum tells of miraculous catches during the Second World War, of twelve-year-old boys who risked their lives as Iceland fishermen, and of the hard and lonely existence of fishermen’s wives. It also keeps the traditional horseback shrimp fishing of Oostduinkerke and beach fishing in view.

The museum is a municipal museum of Koksijde and celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in 2026. The museum site has been renovated and in 2026 won the Architectuur Prijs Vlaanderen (Flemish Architecture Prize). In the new museum wing hangs the skeleton of the sperm whale Valentijn, which was excavated in 2019 and prepared for display by a team from Ghent University.

The collection and site include the North Sea aquaria with around 180 animals of 19 species, a fisherman’s cottage, the wooden fishing vessel OD 1 Martha, the Memorial Park for fishermen lost at sea, and the museum ship N.116 Nostalgie, a shrimp boat currently being restored. The museum inn, Estaminet De Peerdevisscher, serves food and drinks.

Highlights

• Skeleton of the sperm whale Valentijn in the new museum wing
• North Sea aquaria with around 180 animals
• Fisherman’s cottage and the wooden fishing vessel OD 1 Martha
• Stories of Iceland fishermen and fishermen’s wives
• Memorial Park for fishermen lost at sea
• Children’s cabin and family treasure hunt “Alle hens aan dek”

Permanent exhibitions

• Permanente opstelling NAVIGO Visserijmuseum – The history of the coastal fishermen with aquaria, a fisherman’s cottage, a fishing vessel, the collection and the skeleton of the sperm whale Valentijn.
• Erepark der op zee gebleven vissers – Memorial park on the museum site in honour of the Flemish fishermen lost at sea; open to visitors at all times except in strong wind.

Operated by

Gemeente Koksijde

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Free for individual visitors on the first Saturday of every month (Open Museum Days), on Open Monument Day, Science Day and Heritage Day.

Residents of Koksijde, people with a birthday on the day of the visit, and holders of, among others, the K-Pas, teacher card, museumPASSmusées, ICOM card, 365 Pass, press card and guide card are admitted free. With a UiTPAS Westhoek or via Iedereen Verdient Vakantie there is a social rate. At the museum, electronic payment (bank card or Payconiq) is preferred. The current temporary exhibition is included in the ticket.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is wheelchair-accessible: a step-free path and automatic doors, wide corridors, two spacious lifts and a lowered counter. There are two accessible toilets. The fisherman’s cottage is difficult to access because of narrow doors, and the museum inn is not wheelchair-accessible (but the terrace and the public toilets next to it are). There is an accessibility report (compiled by Inter on behalf of Toerisme Vlaanderen) and accessible parking spaces close to the museum. Certified assistance dogs are welcome.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

The museum is a family museum with the blue-dot label of museumPASSmusées for child-friendly museums. You end the visit in the children’s cabin. For families with children aged 6 and up there is the free family treasure hunt “Alle hens aan dek”; the comic strip Jommeke in the museum brings an adventure with the sperm whale Valentijn.

Getting there & parking

By car: E40 exit 2 (Oostduinkerke), direction Oostduinkerke-Dorp. There is a bicycle parking at the entrance, without a charging point for electric bikes.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi is available in the reception building with the shop; coverage is weaker in some rooms. Estaminet De Peerdevisscher is the museum inn, run by a family of horseback shrimp fishermen. Eating and drinking are not allowed in the museum, the exhibition, the shop or the reception; there are picnic benches on the museum square.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit