Museum Het Warenhuis
Regional museum in two protected historic shop buildings in Axel, with a collection of regional costumes and the history of the Land van Axel in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Museum Het Warenhuis tells the story of the Land van Axel in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, above all in the 19th and 20th centuries. A highlight is the collection of regional costumes (streekdracht), presented in an interactive way; visitors can, among other things, try a barcode game. The collection also includes everyday objects from rural and urban life.
The roots go back to 1933, when a committee in Axel began collecting old objects. From the association "Axelse Boerenkamer" emerged, in 1980, the Streekmuseum Het Land van Axel in the old post office on the Noordstraat. After the municipal merger of 2003, the museum, the water tower and the town mill joined together in the Stichting Cultureel Erfgoed Het Warenhuis. Due to a lack of space, the museum moved to the Markt in 2015.
The present building consists of the commercial building Markt 2 from 1920, the residential and commercial building Markt 2a from 1909 (both Rijksmonumenten, i.e. national monuments), and a connecting new building from 2014 with exhibition and storage rooms. The client was the painter and decorator Clement Benedictus Antheunis; his restored wall and ceiling paintings in Art Nouveau and Art Deco style shape the rooms. The foundation also includes the Axel water tower of 1936 and the town mill of 1750.
Highlights
- Collection of regional costumes (streekdracht)
- Protected shop buildings with restored wall and ceiling paintings
- Barcode game for visitors
- History of the Land van Axel in the 19th and 20th centuries
- Water tower and town mill as further sites
Permanent exhibition
- Streekdracht und Geschichte des Landes van Axel – The permanent exhibition shows regional costumes and everyday objects and tells the story of the region in the 19th and 20th centuries.
- Founded
- 1980
- Operated by
- Stichting Cultureel Erfgoed Het Warenhuis
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7.50 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €2free up to age 12 · Young people aged 13 to 17 pay €2; children up to 12 are free. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €6 per person10 to 29 people €6 per person; from 29 people €5 per person. |
Rates by group size: 1 to 10 people €7.50 per person. Free admission with the Museumkaart, the museum's Vriend card and the VZM pass (Vereniging Zeeuwse Musea).
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 12 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
- Kids’ birthday parties
Each exhibition has a workshop for children, plus search games. Children's birthday parties (€10 per child, 2.5 hours, with crafts, cake decorating and a museum rally) are possible.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
Museum shop in the building (freely accessible) and a coffee corner.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Group visits and guided tours by registration via the group form. For primary schools there are teaching programs (civics); for secondary schools, visits matched to the year group. |
