Museum Elburg

About the museum

Museum Elburg tells the story of the small Hanseatic and fortress town on the Veluwemeer. The museum's origins go back to 1910. It is housed in the former Agnietenkloster (Agnes Convent), one of the town's first stone buildings. The late medieval buildings were remodeled several times over the centuries; the double chapel and the quiet cloister garden have survived. After a restoration under architect Rooyaards, the town hall moved into the building from 1954, while the museum remained in the double chapel. The former monastery refectory now serves as the municipality's wedding hall.

Elburg received its town rights between 1220 and 1271 from the Count of Guelders, traded early in the Baltic region, and belonged to the Hanseatic League from 1367. Its heyday came in the second half of the 14th century, when the town was laid out anew according to an ambitious plan. The museum presents this development in six themed rooms: Town with a Plan, Town of Faith, Town Full of Bustle, Town with Rights, Town by the Water, and Town of Benefactors.

The museum includes several sites in the old town: the Vischpoort, a defensive tower converted into a gate at the end of the 16th century and, since 2021, the setting of a Hanseatic escape room; the casemates, one of the oldest surviving cannon cellars in the Netherlands; and a small wall house showing the life of Elburg's poorest residents about a hundred years ago. On the top floor of the cloister, the independent Schildermuseum (Sign Painters' Museum) presents the techniques and history of the painting trade.

Highlights

• Double chapel and cloister garden of the medieval Agnietenkloster
• Six themed rooms on the history of the Hanseatic town of Elburg
• Schildermuseum on the painting trade in the attic
• Vischpoort as a Hanseatic escape room for groups of 4 to 7 people
• Casemates and wall house as off-site locations of the museum
• Concerts and yoga sound evenings in the cloister chapel

Permanent exhibitions

• Sechs Themenräume zur Elburger Stadtgeschichte – Town plan, faith, trades, law, water, and benefactors explain how Elburg became a Hanseatic town.
• Schildermuseum – Historic and present-day painting techniques such as wood and marble imitation, sign writing, and gold leaf, as well as the history of the guilds and of painters' training.
• Mauerhäuschen – A small house built into the town wall shows the conditions under which Elburg's poorest residents lived about a hundred years ago.

Founded

1910

Admission & discounts

Prices as of January 1, 2026. Free with the Museumkaart; the Vriendenloterij VIP card is not valid. Since April 2026 there is also the local "Elburger Museumkaart" (one-time price, then free admission to Museum Elburg, Museum Sjoel, and Nationaal Orgelmuseum), valid until Open Monumentendag 2026. Tickets can be reserved online or bought at the box office.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

According to the website, the museum is not accessible for wheelchair users and has many stairs and steps. The Vischpoort escape room is also not suitable for wheelchairs because of small, dark rooms and steep stairs.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Children up to age 12 pay no admission. The museum offers school programs for primary and secondary schools, a "Juniorcollege" with hands-on events, and activities during the school holidays. Because of the many stairs, a visit with a stroller is difficult.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Museum café at the cloister garden; museum shop with art books and publications.

Events & venue rental

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

Up to 60 guests.

Available for rent: the chapel (up to 40 people), the refectory/wedding hall (up to 60), the museum café (up to 50), the Elburgzaal (up to 10), and the Bildungsdachboden (up to 35, not in the evening). Private rentals only during opening hours.

Plan your visit