De Looierij

About the museum

The house on Kerkstraat in Dongen was a craft business for generations: the tanner Johannes Rops had a bark tannery with a wet house and drying lofts built here in 1889. In 1904 it passed to the Hessels family, who continued the business until the 1960s; in 1964 it became a slipper factory, which was given up in 1997. During the war years the building was temporarily rented out as classroom space for the shoemakers' vocational school and school classes.

As early as 1993, the newly founded Dongha-Heem foundation had set up an exhibition in the oldest part of the building. In 1997 it bought the house with a loan from the municipality, had the listed building restored and opened the Dongha Museum on 16 June 2000. On 31 March 2011 it received its present name, De Looierij; in the same year a new entrance with an art space and the "Looiroute" (tanning route) through the house were created. In 2012 the exhibition on the history of Dongen followed, and in 2014 the rope-making workshop was set up, completing the tannery museum.

Today the tour leads through the wet house, the rope-making workshop and the drying loft and explains how leather was tanned in Dongen and what role the leather and shoe industry played for the town. On the top floor, the exhibition "Dongen, van NUL tot NU" tells the local history in ten themes, from the settlement of the sand ridges to the present. The museum is run by volunteers.

Highlights

• Tannery museum in a bark tannery of 1890 (Rijksmonument)
• Looiroute through the wet house, rope-making workshop and drying loft
• Exhibition "Dongen, van NUL tot NU" on local history
• Audio tour with 14 stops in Dutch and English, also for children
• Museum café with terrace and leather goods from the museum's own workshop

Permanent exhibitions

• Looiroute – Tour through the wet house, rope-making workshop and drying loft of the tannery about the tanner's craft and the life of the tanners in Dongen.
• Dongen, van NUL tot NU – Local history in ten themes, from the settlement of the sand ridges through the lords of Dongen and the painters to the present.

Founded

2000

Admission & discounts

Admission €6 for adults and young people aged 14 and over. Free with Museumkaart. The room for temporary exhibitions is always freely accessible.

Accessibility

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

Lift (75 x 127 cm), accessible toilet, and wheelchair and walker available to borrow. Mobility scooters (scootmobiles) are not allowed in the building. Dogs are not allowed, except assistance dogs. The audio tour helps visually impaired guests; via QR code the texts can also be read or listened to on your own phone.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

For children who can read by themselves there is a detective rally with the diploma "Looiersgezel" (tanner's journeyman), for younger visitors an activity booklet and two fabric suitcases (available at the ticket desk), as well as a children's audio tour and a code-breaker game. Children under 14 may enter the museum only when accompanied by an older person. School programmes for primary school (including Museumschatjes).

Getting there & parking

Bicycles can be parked behind the museum and e-bikes charged (access via the path next to Kerkstraat 39). Cyclists will find a repair kit, pump and first-aid kit.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Wi-Fi

Museum café with terrace, also serving as reception and museum shop (including leather bags, aprons and jewellery from the museum's own leather workshop). Card payment and payment by phone are possible; free Wi-Fi.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 50 guests.

Official wedding venue of Dongen: ceremonies on the Kuipenveld (up to 50 seats), in the New Wet House (20) or in the drying loft (15); base price €350 incl. VAT for a maximum of two hours. Group visits, photo shoots, coffee or lunch packages are also possible outside opening hours.

Plan your visit