Vlasmuseum It Braakhok
Small flax museum in the old Braakhok in Ee, showing how flax became linen; unstaffed and open daily.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
A "Braakhok" was a building in northeastern Friesland where people in hardship processed flax as part of social employment, a laborious manual task. Flax growing in the region ended around 1960 because labor costs had become too high. In 1976 the Stiftung Braakhok (Braakhok Foundation) was established to preserve knowledge of this trade; two years later, in 1978, the museum opened.
After a comprehensive renovation, the house reopened in 2018 and has been accessible every day since. It is the only museum in the Netherlands that shows the processing of flax into linen. Old equipment stands in display cases with explanatory panels, videos show how the historic machines worked, and a three-minute introductory film gives a first overview.
The exhibition ranges from the beginnings some 5,000 years ago, when Egyptian mummies were already wrapped in linen, to the question of why flax is still valued today. The social side is also addressed: the children's book author Nynke van Hichtum described how hard the work in the Braakhok was. For children there is a book about the "magical flax flower." The museum is unstaffed; volunteers can offer demonstrations by telephone.
Highlights
- Only museum in the Netherlands on processing flax into linen
- Historic equipment explained with videos and text panels
- Open daily; doors open during the day, unsupervised
- Flax-processing demonstrations on request by telephone
- Children's book "Het meisje en de magische vlasbloem"
Permanent exhibition
- Vom Flachs zum Leinen – Historic flax-processing equipment, videos on how it worked, an introductory film and explanatory panels on the history of the plant.
- Founded
- 1978
- Operated by
- Stichting Braakhok
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €2 |
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| Children & teens | freefree up to age 11 · Children under 12 free when accompanied by an adult. |
The admission fee is paid by QR code, as no one is sitting at a cash desk.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 11 |
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- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Children's book about the "magical flax flower"; children under 12 pay no admission.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | The museum is unstaffed. Anyone who wants to speak with a volunteer or see a flax-processing demonstration should call the numbers listed on the website. |
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