Nationaal Brandweermuseum
The largest fire service museum in the Netherlands, housed in two naval buildings from 1786, with firefighting equipment and vehicles from around 1550 to the present.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum's beginnings lie in the 1910s: in 1919 the fire brigades of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht handed their historic equipment over to the Royal Dutch Fire Brigade Association, which founded a museum from it in 1926. Until the Second World War it was housed in the Sint-Catharijneconvent in Utrecht; after the liberation the collection was stored in The Hague. The museum has been in Hellevoetsluis since 1963.
It occupies two former naval buildings from 1786 in the fortress town: the white Groot Magazijn, where masts, chains and sails for the warships were stored, and the reddish-brown Kuiperij, where barrels were made and repaired. With roughly 3,000 square metres, it is regarded as the largest fire service museum in the Netherlands. The collection ranges from leather buckets and hand pumps from around 1550, through hand-operated pumps from the former Soestdijk Palace, to vehicles of the 20th century, including an Ahrens-Fox with an imposing air chamber and a luxurious Fiat from the 1920s.
From 2011 the museum belonged to the Nationaal Veiligheidsinstituut, which has been called Korpora since 2022. In 2021 the Stichting Brandweermuseum Hellevoetsluis took over operations, while the collection remained the property of Korpora.
Highlights
- Hand pumps and firefighting equipment from around 1550 to the present
- Collection of hand-operated pumps from the former Soestdijk Palace
- Ahrens-Fox with air chamber and Fiat fire engine from the 1920s
- Two naval buildings from 1786 with roughly 3,000 m² of space
- Play corner with a fire engine for children
Permanent exhibition
- Vaste collectie – Geschichte der Brandbekämpfung – From primitive means of fighting fires around 1550 to modern equipment, the collection shows the development of fire and disaster response in the Netherlands, along with vehicles, uniform badges and miniatures.
- Founded
- 1926
- Operated by
- Stichting Brandweermuseum Hellevoetsluis
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €12.50 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €6.50free up to age 3 · Children aged 4 to 12 €6.50; children aged 0 to 3 free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · One wheelchair companion per person with a disability has free admission. |
| Groups | –Guided tours by registration only: up to 10 people €40 plus admission per person, from 11 people €3 per person plus admission. |
Free with Museumkaart and Rotterdampas (no reservation needed; show the original card, a photo or copy is not accepted). Active firefighters and members of the youth fire brigade from all 25 safety regions get free admission on proof of membership. For cash payments, 100 and 200 euro notes are not accepted.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- 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 museum, fully wheelchair accessible: lift for disabled visitors, ramp over 6 m long, adapted toilet and platform lift (for small electric scooters and electric wheelchairs, platform max. 140 × 95 cm). Walkers (free of charge) and a wheelchair are available; one disabled parking space on the square in front of the museum.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 3 |
|---|
- Playground / play area
Play corner with a fire engine; the museum shop sells toy helmets, colouring books and comics on the theme of the fire service.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Vesting (EBS-Bus 106) · 10-min walk
From Rotterdam Centraal or Schiedam Centrum take the metro to Spijkenisse Centrum, then EBS bus 106 to Hellevoetsluis as far as the "Vesting" stop (about 10 minutes on foot). Alternatively, bus 404 to "Amnesty Internationallaan" (about 2 km on foot).
By car
Free parking
Free car park at the Industriehaven; if it is full, you can use the car park at the community centre at the end of the Opzoomerlaan. One disabled parking space on the square at the museum.
- Accessible parking
By car, drive through the Brielse Poort into the Hellevoetsluis fortress and turn right twice at the end of the Opzoomerlaan. The museum is located in the municipality of Voorne aan Zee.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Museum bar on the ground floor (coffee, tea, soft drinks; lunch or dinner for groups on request); museum shop with fire engine models, books and toy helmets, accessible even without an admission ticket. Eating and drinking only in the coffee area.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
Possible events include meetings, lunches, receptions, dinners, children's birthday parties, tours in a vintage fire engine and photo shoots, also outside opening hours (enquiries via the contact form).
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours for groups, families or individuals by reservation only; school materials "Missie Code Rood" for years 5–6. Children up to 12 years must be accompanied by an adult; do not climb on the vehicles; children may only play in the play corner with the fire engine provided for that purpose. |
