Puzzelmuseum Joure

About the museum

The Puzzelmuseum in Joure grew out of the collecting passion of Auke Reijenga (born 1960). He received his first sliding puzzle at the age of six; with the Rubik's Cube boom his collection grew quickly. In 2008 he opened the museum in a two-storey commercial building in the De Ekers industrial estate on the street De Brekken. Since 2013, after giving up his career as a teacher, he has devoted himself entirely to the museum and to his performances as a clown and magician.

The collection comprises more than 50,000 logic puzzles, brain teasers and riddles, the oldest dating from around 1900. There are no jigsaw puzzles. Only a selection is shown in display cases, including tangrams, sliding puzzles (around 18,000, many with Escher motifs), construction puzzles, patience games and advertising puzzles. There are also puzzle books, such as the complete series of the “Winterboeken” of the magazine Margriet from 1939 to 1975.

On the ground floor there are tables for puzzling yourself; the upper floor has an exhibition on optical illusions and visual trickery. The museum is set up for groups, family parties, children's birthday parties and company events; visits are by appointment only.

Highlights

• Around 50,000 logic puzzles and brain teasers
• About 18,000 sliding puzzles, many with Escher motifs
• Exhibition on optical illusions
• Puzzling for yourself at tables on the ground floor
• Magic show and programme for groups and children's birthday parties

Permanent exhibitions

• Puzzle- und Knobelsammlung – Display cases with old and nostalgic puzzles, tangrams, sliding and construction puzzles and patience games.
• Ogen bedrogen – Examples of optical illusions and visual trickery, including motifs by Escher.
• Margriet Winterboeken – The complete series of puzzle books from the magazine Margriet from the years 1939 to 1975.

Founded

2008

Operated by

Auke Reijenga

Admission & discounts

Admission prices for individual visitors are not stated on the website.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Kids’ birthday parties

Children's birthday party with a magic or clown programme, lemonade and cake, puzzle tasks throughout the museum and a balloon animal as a farewell gift.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

Drinks can be consumed on the ground floor; coffee, tea and lemonade are part of the programme.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Up to 40 guests.

Family parties, neighbourhood and club events, company parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties as well as meetings followed by puzzling.

Plan your visit