Museum De Waag

About the museum

Museum De Waag is the city museum of Deventer and is housed in the oldest weigh house in the Netherlands. The weigh house was built in 1528 on the Brink, where merchants had their goods weighed and gauging officers checked weights and measures of capacity; the weighing fees were an important source of income for the Hanseatic city. The late Gothic building has three storeys, a stair tower, a clock and three pointed turrets; in 1643 an outside staircase in late Mannerist style with three columns was added at the front. The building leans about 80 centimetres because the ground of the former rampart gave way.

In the 19th century the building lost its function as a weigh house and served as a drawing school and, for a time, as a telegraph station. In 1913 it stood empty after the girls' secondary school had moved out; the municipality lent it for a city museum, and in the same year the De Waag association was founded, which runs the museum and expands the collection. On 16 June 1915 the museum opened to the public for the first time. Today it belongs to the heritage organisation Deventer Verhaal.

The museum tells the history of Deventer from its beginnings through the Hanseatic period with its markets, to silversmiths, gingerbread bakers and the later industrial city of tinplate and textiles. Its top pieces include 17th-century paintings by Gerard ter Borch II and Hendrick ter Brugghen, as well as works by Bartholomeus Breenbergh, Cornelis Springer and the master forger Han van Meegeren, who was born in Deventer.

Highlights

• Oldest weigh house in the Netherlands (1528), leaning about 80 cm
• Deventer top pieces: Ter Borch, Ter Brugghen, Breenbergh, Springer
• Works by the master forger Han van Meegeren, born in Deventer
• City history from the Hanseatic period to the industrial city
• Free audio tour and introductory tours

Permanent exhibitions

• Deventer topstukken – Semi-permanent presentation of the top pieces: on the first floor paintings by Ter Borch, Ter Brugghen, Springer and Van Meegeren as well as recent acquisitions by Breenbergh.
• Deventer geschiedenis – Permanent overview on the second floor from the founding of the city through the Hanseatic period with its markets to the industrial city, with an animation of the siege of 1578.
• Das Waaggebäude – The weigh house on the Brink, built in 1528 and leaning 80 centimetres, is itself part of the museum.

Founded

1915

Operated by

Deventer Verhaal

Admission & discounts

Free with Museumkaart, Vereniging De Waag membership card, Rembrandtkaart, ICOM card and VriendenLoterij VIP-KAART. Tickets are available at the museum ticket desk.

Accessibility

• Partially 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

Exhibition rooms and toilets can be reached by lift, and the entrance is wheelchair-accessible with ramps; the basement is not accessible by lift. A loan wheelchair is available (reserve by telephone beforehand), and folding stools can be borrowed. Mobility scooters (scootmobiel) cannot be taken in due to lack of space. An audio tour is available.

Kids & families

Young people under 14 are admitted only when accompanied by an adult; children up to 12 years pay no admission. For school classes there are programmes for primary and secondary school.

Getting there & parking

By car from the A1 follow the signs towards the centre, via Deventerweg, Zutphenseweg and Pothoofd to the Brink; from there about 150 metres on foot.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

No museum café; bringing your own food and drink is not allowed, and there are many cafés and restaurants on the Brink. The museum shop with Deventer accessories and books is accessible without a ticket. Cloakroom with lockers is included in the admission price.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit