Polderhuis

About the museum

The Polderhuis Westkapelle is the local history museum of the village on the coast of Walcheren. The Polderhuis Foundation was established in November 1999 with the task of preserving and conveying culture and history. The main building is an old water board house; thanks to dike building, the water board was once Westkapelle's largest employer. Today it houses the Dijk- en oorlogsmuseum, the museum café, the museum shop and the administration. The foundation is supported by a large volunteer organisation with a few permanent staff.

The museum first deals with the village's centuries-long struggle against the North Sea: it shows the coastline, the development of Westkapelle and its nature, the occupation of the dike worker, and the ramming in of pile heads and breakwaters. In the war section, residents tell of the Second World War, the Battle of the Scheldt and the bombardment in October 1944; films and excerpts can be accessed via QR codes on a smartphone or tablet. Finds from the North Sea from the war and the battle are also on display. A viewing tower, accessible only through the museum, offers a view over Westkapelle and the sea.

The Polderhuis also includes the lighthouses ’t Hoge Licht and ’t Lage Licht, a garden with a terrace and several memorials, and the Sherman tank memorial on the sea dike, which commemorates the liberation of Westkapelle in November 1944. The tank has stood there since 1961 and was most recently restored in 2020/2021.

Highlights

• Dijk- en oorlogsmuseum: Westkapelle behind the sea dike and in the Second World War
• Viewing tower with a view over Westkapelle and the North Sea
• Sherman tank as a liberation memorial on the sea dike
• Lighthouses ’t Hoge Licht (with mini museum) and ’t Lage Licht
• Museum café and terrace in the museum garden with a landing craft for children

Permanent exhibitions

• Westkapelle achter de zeedijk – Seven hundred years of struggle against the North Sea: coastline, dike workers, pile heads and the development of the village and its nature.
• Westkapelle in de oorlog – Eyewitness accounts, photographs and finds on the occupation, the Battle of the Scheldt, the bombardment of 1944 and the reconstruction.
• Sherman-Panzer auf dem Seedeich – Landed in November 1944 as a Crab version with mine-clearing equipment, a memorial to the liberation of Westkapelle since 1961.

Operated by

Stichting Polderhuis

Admission & discounts

The museum café, exhibition room and museum shop can be visited free of charge.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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

The museum is fully wheelchair accessible, with a lift and an accessible toilet; the shop is also accessible. The museum holds the "Dementievriendelijk" (dementia-friendly) designation. The lighthouses can only be reached by stairs and are not wheelchair accessible. Dogs are not permitted in the museum (but are in the shop, café and on the terrace).

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Playground / play area
• Kids’ birthday parties

Free search games in the museum (archaeology rally with Ada and Arre for families with children up to age 8, "Friedensreise mit Jan Soldoat" (Peace Journey with Jan Soldoat) for children up to age 7; older children from age 8 can search on their own), a rally at the lighthouse, and for a small fee two rallies through Westkapelle. "Kiara’s reis door de tijd" with short films for children from age 10. In the garden a landing craft serves as a play object; children's birthday parties are possible.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located behind the sea dike; the path over the "Liberty Bridge" leads onto the dike and to the beach. The Sherman memorial stands on the dike.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Museum café and partly covered terrace in the museum garden with a view of the sea dike and the Sherman tank, accessible to everyone even without a museum visit; the speciality is apple pie ("appelrondje"). Museum shop with souvenirs, postcards, war literature as well as hiking and cycling maps. Charging station for e-bikes next to the garden; charging points for electric cars at the Abraham Calandplein car park.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

The museum café can be used for meetings, presentations, parties and receptions; on the upper floor a large room is available for guest lectures and film screenings.

Plan your visit