Fort 1881

About the museum

The fort was built between 1881 and 1889 to protect the Nieuwe Waterweg, the approach to the Port of Rotterdam, against enemy fleets. Three rotating armoured turrets with six guns and a mine barrier in the fairway formed the defence. The turrets were cast in Germany, and thanks to its hydraulic technology the fort was considered very modern when completed. By around 1900 it was already outdated by longer-range naval guns.

In the First World War the fort was kept ready for action as part of the mobilisation. In May 1940 it stood ready during the fighting for Hoek van Holland, and on 13 May the last cabinet meeting before the government fled to England took place here. The Germans then used the fort as accommodation, a telephone exchange and a bakery, among other things, and built Atlantic Wall installations around it. In 1943 the turrets and guns were removed and melted down.

After the war the fort served the navy as barracks and storage, and from 1978 it stood empty. In 1987 it was handed over to a foundation that fitted it out as a museum; from 1989 it housed the Nederlands Kustverdedigingsmuseum. In 1995 the fort received replicas of the armoured turrets made of sprayed concrete. Since 2014 a commercial company has operated the site as Fort 1881, where the museum, event spaces and a bistro exist side by side.

Highlights

• Well-preserved 19th-century armoured fort
• Replicas of the three armoured turrets from 1995
• Armoured rifle gallery and dry moat
• Museum on the fort’s history and the Second World War in Hoek van Holland
• Bistro-M with terrace in the former officers’ mess

Permanent exhibition

• Museum im Fort 1881 – The museum is devoted to the fort itself, its defence technology and its role in the two world wars.

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Satnav address: Stationsweg 80, 3151 HS Hoek van Holland.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant

Bistro-M in the former officers’ mess next to the fort, with a terrace and a view of the fort.

Events & venue rental

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

Up to 500 guests.

Around 70 rooms for conferences, celebrations and events; plenary sessions for up to 500 guests.