Stedelijk Museum Coevorden
Town museum in the Arsenaal on the harbour of Coevorden, telling the history of Drenthe's oldest town in ten chapters.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Coevorden is considered the oldest town in the province of Drenthe. It arose at a strategic spot where travellers and merchants could cross the moors via a shallow stream. Later the place became a fortress and garrison town in which the castle and fortifications played a major role.
The Stedelijk Museum Coevorden is housed in the Arsenaal, a historic building on the harbour that serves as a shared home for several institutions: besides the museum, for the Coevorden library, the ToReCo foundation and the historical society. From February to July 2026 the building was closed for restoration work and reopened on 3 July 2026.
The permanent exhibition "Verhalen van Coevorden" consists of ten chapters: from the time of the bishops and the Battle of Ane through the building of the castle, the Spanish occupation, the expansion of the fortress, the trading and garrison town, Mijndert van der Thijnen, the recapture of the town and the Eisenkuchenaufstand (iron cake uprising) to the French and the end of the garrison town. An online searchable collection complements the visit.
Highlights
- Permanent exhibition "Verhalen van Coevorden" in ten chapters
- History of Drenthe's oldest town as a fortress and garrison town
- Historic Arsenaal on the harbour, 7 minutes from the railway station
- City ticket with the synagogue and Museum Thijnhof
- Online searchable collection
Permanent exhibition
- Verhalen van Coevorden – In ten chapters, the permanent exhibition tells of the Battle of Ane and the castle through the Spanish occupation, the fortress and the garrison town to its end.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €9 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €6Young people aged 13 to 18, students and CJP holders |
| Children & teens | €6free up to age 12 · Young people aged 13 to 18; children up to and including 12 years free, but only when accompanied by an adult. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Companions of visitors with disabilities have free admission. |
| Students & apprentices | €6Students and CJP holders |
| Groups (8+ people) | €14 per personPicardt package for 8 or more people: guided tour of the museum. Further packages with coffee, pastries and lunch cost €19 to €47.50 per person; register at least two weeks in advance. |
| Stadsticket Coevorden (museum, synagogue, Museum Thijnhof) | €17.50 |
| Combined ticket with Museum Collectie Brands (Nieuw-Dordrecht) | €12.50 |
| Combined ticket with Openluchtmuseum Ellert & Brammert (adults) | €15Young people 12–18 years €12, children up to 11 years €5. |
Admission is free for holders of the Museumkaart, ICOM members, Friends of the Museum and members of the Coevorden library. The VriendenLoterij VIP card is not accepted. Packages cannot be combined with discount promotions, discount cards, the Vriendenpas, the Drentse Museumpas or the Museumjaarkaart.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The entrance has an automatic sliding door, and a large platform lift connects all exhibition rooms. Wheelchairs, walkers and mobility scooters are welcome, and a wheelchair can be borrowed. An accessible toilet is available only on the ground floor; there are regular toilets on the first floor. Folding chairs and stools to take along are available; pets are not allowed, but assistance dogs are.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 12 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
Children up to and including 12 years have free admission and must be accompanied by an adult. The museum offers family activities such as rallies and craft afternoons during the holidays. Pushchairs can use the platform lift; a baby changing table is on the ground floor.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Coevorden (Bahnhof) · 7-min walk
By train (Arriva) every 30 minutes from Zwolle and Emmen to Coevorden station; from there about a 7-minute walk straight ahead to the roundabout, first exit onto Friesestraat as far as De Markt and across the square to the harbour. The route is wheelchair accessible.
By car
Free parking
Two hours free with a parking disc on the Markt; for longer, in the De Pampert car park (over 200 spaces, 3 minutes to the centre) or the Duivelshoek car park in the fortress, both free of charge. Disabled parking: two directly at the museum (10 m), on the Markt (100 m) and at De Pampert (650 m).
- Accessible parking
By car via the N34, N377 and N382, follow the signs for Centrum/Station Coevorden. Taxis can stop at the door; bicycles can be parked free of charge in front of the building.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum shares the Arsenaal with the library. For groups with coffee and pastries, it works with the café "Pluk de Dag" and the restaurant "De Heeren van Coevorden".
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography without flash allowed |
| Good to know | Tours of the museum can be booked for groups of 8 or more people. The museum itself does not offer tours of Coevorden Castle; for that, contact the ToReCo foundation. According to the house rules, children up to 12 years may only come with an adult (aged 18 or over). |
