Nationaal Monument Kamp Amersfoort

About the museum

From 1941 to 1945 the site between Leusden and Amersfoort was home to Kamp Amersfoort. In this transit and labour camp run by the SS, well over 40,000 prisoners suffered from hunger, mistreatment, forced labour and the threat of executions and transports.

The Stichting Nationaal Monument Kamp Amersfoort was founded in 2000. In 2004 a memorial centre was built on the historic site, and in 2021 a new museum presentation followed. In the underground museum and on the reconstructed courtyard, the exhibition sheds light on ten groups of prisoners through ten biographies of prisoners and guards; former inmates tell their stories in video interviews.

On the wooded outdoor grounds, the so-called "schuldig landschap" (guilty landscape), post-war memorials, traces in the ground and original remains can be seen. The aim of the institution is remembrance and reflection on freedom, the rule of law and human rights.

Key themes

• Underground museum with audio guide (NL/EN)
• Ten prisoner groups and ten biographies in the permanent exhibition
• Around 100 video interviews with survivors
• Wooded outdoor grounds with memorials and original traces
• Free guided tour of the grounds on Saturdays and Sundays

Permanent exhibitions

• Dauerausstellung Kamp Amersfoort – In the underground museum, ten groups of prisoners and ten life stories of prisoners and guards tell of everyday life in the camp; video interviews with survivors and an audio guide complement the exhibition.
• Außengelände „schuldig landschap“ – Wooded grounds with post-war memorials, traces in the ground and original remains, to be visited individually or on guided tours.

Founded

2000

Operated by

Stichting Nationaal Monument Kamp Amersfoort

Admission & discounts

Free with Beschermerspas, Museumkaart and VriendenLoterij VIP-Kaart (show the card). Reservations are neither possible nor necessary; tickets are available at the ticket desk on the day of the visit, card payment only.

Accessibility

• 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

The museum, café and part of the outdoor grounds are accessible to wheelchairs and prams; the underground museum can be reached by lift. Two loan wheelchairs (reservation by email). The audio guide also makes the visit possible for blind and visually impaired visitors; a companion is recommended and admitted free. Assistance dogs allowed. Full accessibility cannot be guaranteed because of the historic grounds.

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kidsRecommended for ages 10+

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

For families with children aged 10 and over there is a self-guided route through the woods, courtyard and museum with short tasks about hopeful stories from the camp; the route is available free of charge at the ticket desk, museum admission is payable. At the end there is a typewriter in the café on which children and adults can type for themselves.

Getting there & parking

Free car park 150 metres before the museum entrance.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Museum café with toasted sandwiches, cake and drinks as well as a museum shop with books; both open during the museum's opening hours.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit