Marker Museum
Small local-history museum in six connected fishermen's cottages on Marken, with traditional costume, domestic culture, folk art and the history of the former Zuiderzee island.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Marker Museum opened in 1983 and occupies six historic, interconnected cottages in the Kerkbuurt on Marken. One of them is furnished as the islanders used to live, with traditional furniture, household goods and Marker costume. The museum is run by the Vereniging Historisch Eiland Marken, which receives hardly any subsidies and relies mainly on volunteers. Since 2025, a working group for archives and research has also been collecting historical material about the island.
Marken was not always an island: violent storm surges in the 12th century, including the All Saints' Flood of 1170, created the Zuiderzee and separated the area from the Waterland peat country. Around 1232 Abbot Sibrandus of Mariëngaarde Abbey bought the island; the monks built dikes and drainage and practised agriculture. In the 14th and 15th centuries the dikes fell into disrepair, and the struggle against the water remained a defining theme. The changes after the construction of the Afsluitdijk and the connection to the mainland are also told in the museum.
The central theme is the Marker costume, which is based on 16th-century fashion and, through its embroidery, colours and patterns, tells of the stage of life and the occasion; boys wore skirts until the age of six. There are also fishing, religion, ceramics, paintings, prints and folk art such as carvings, embroidery and the work of the Marker Jan Moenis (1875–1953), who painted bonnet boxes, clogs and wooden school satchels. Since the rooms are small, each year the museum shows part of its extensive collection in changing themed exhibitions; an audiovisual presentation explains the island's history and costume.
Highlights
- Marker house of the 19th and early 20th centuries, furnished authentically
- Marker costume with embroidery and a fixed "language of clothing"
- Works by Jan Moenis on bonnet boxes, clogs and school satchels
- Collection on fishing, religion and the struggle against the water
- Audiovisual presentation on the history of the island
- Location in the narrow lanes of the former Zuiderzee island
Permanent exhibitions
- Das eingerichtete Marker Haus – One cottage is furnished like an island house of the 19th and early 20th centuries, with furniture, household goods and Marker costume.
- Marker Tracht und Volkskunst – Costume and its meaning for the stage of life and occasion, ceramics, carvings and the painted work of Jan Moenis.
- Founded
- 1983
- Operated by
- Vereniging Historisch Eiland Marken
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €2Children up to and including 12 years pay €2. |
| Groups (15+ people) | –10% discount for groups of 15 or more people. |
Free with the Museumkaart and for members of the museum and the Vereniging Rembrandt. Card payment is possible.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available · 5-min walk to the entrance
Central car park directly at the entrance to Marken; from there follow the "Marker Museum" signs, about 5 minutes on foot.
Driving within Marken is not permitted without a permit.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Small museum shop with costume items, dolls in costume, books and cards.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | An audiovisual presentation explains the history of Marken and the costume that is still maintained. |
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