Bakkerijmuseum De Oude Bakkerij

About the museum

The beginnings lie with the baker Cees de Boer from Wadway, who opened his bakery in 1930 and passionately collected baking equipment. After his death in 1977 his children inherited the collection; daughter Ans and her husband Theo Spil, himself a baker's son, showed it in the early 1980s in the former orphanage of Medemblik.

In 1985 the exhibition moved temporarily to Medemblik railway station, and a year later to a former butcher's house on Tuinstraat. As visitor numbers grew quickly, the couple acquired the present house at Nieuwstraat 8 in 1988, a former cigar shop with a carpentry workshop, and opened the museum there on 4 February 1989. In 1999 it received official museum registration, and in 2012 their son Jacco took over the management.

After the purchase of the neighbouring house in 2018, both buildings were merged from 2021 and converted to be accessible, with a lift, ramp and threshold-free floors. The collection focuses on biscuits, bread and confectionery, mainly from 1800 to 1960; many pieces are considered unique in the Netherlands. Baking takes place in the house daily, and chocolates and marzipan are also made.

Highlights

• Daily baking demonstrations and pastry-making demonstrations from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Three storylines through the collection: biscuits, bread and confectionery
• Children decorate their own biscuits and take them home
• Museum café Koekerij Cees de Boer with pastries from its own bakery
• Workshops such as sugar pulling, bread baking and cocoa painting
• Repeatedly named the most child- and family-friendly museum in the Netherlands

Permanent exhibition

• Koek, brood & banket – Permanent exhibition on the baker's trade with a focus on 1800 to 1960, divided into three storylines (biscuits, bread, confectionery) with baking moulds, tools, machines, packaging and a specialist library.

Founded

1985

Operated by

Stichting Bakkerijmuseum 'De Oude Bakkerij'

Admission & discounts

Free with the Museumkaart and the VriendenLoterij VIP card (not in combination with the group rate, packages or workshops). Readers of the Reformatorisch Dagblad pay €7.80 (children €5.20). Payment at the ticket desk by debit card or cash, no credit cards.

Accessibility

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

Ramp at the entrance, threshold-free floors on both levels, widened doors and a lift. In the exhibition there are tactile objects, films with subtitles and sound, as well as high-contrast colours and clear texts. Dogs are not allowed because of food processing, except assistance dogs.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Kids’ birthday parties

Children can decorate biscuits daily without registration; there is also a rally (“Het mysterieuze voorwerp”) and bookable children's parties with a baking demonstration and marzipan modelling (outside school holidays).

Getting there & parking

By car via the A7, exit 11 Medemblik, then the N239 towards the centre. Sat-nav address: Nieuwstraat 8, Medemblik. The museum is near the station of the Museumstoomtram Hoorn–Medemblik.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Museum café Koekerij Cees de Boer with coffee, tea, soft drinks and pastries from its own bakery, plus a museum shop; café and shop Tuesday to Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit