Climbable cast-iron lighthouse from 1880 near Hollum, with small exhibitions on its floors and panoramic views over Ameland.
Special exhibition
Maria Kiewiet-Metz works through memories of her father, who placed the channel markers on the Wadden Sea, and interprets navigational marks as personal points of orientation. The exhibition is spread throughout the tower and can only be seen in full after the climb.
Special exhibition
On the eighth floor, island photographers Rinnie Wijnstra and Anja Brouwer show around 20 works, which can also be ordered as prints.
The lighthouse in western Ameland was built in 1880 on the orders of King William III. It was designed by Quirinus Harder, who built cast-iron lighthouses for the pilotage service – cast iron being a novel building material at the time. The Nering Bögel foundry in Deventer produced the segments, which were shipped to the island and stacked on site. The light first shone on May 10, 1881, warning sailors of the dangerous sandbanks off the coast.
The lighting technology was modernized several times: the kerosene flame was followed by incandescent mantle light and then electric lamps. Since 1952 the tower has housed a rotating optic originally from the Westhoofd lighthouse on Goeree, which emits three flashes every 15 seconds. The old lantern was replaced in 1988 with a new one that carries a radar system; the retired lantern now sits on the roof of the Maritiem Centrum Abraham Fock in Hollum. The tower has been a Rijksmonument (national monument) since 1982.
The coast guard used the tower until 2005, after which it passed to the municipality of Ameland and was opened to visitors. It is operated by the Stichting Amelander Musea. Climbing the 236 steps over 15 floors, visitors pass small exhibitions, find the lighthouse keeper's recreated watch room at the top and enjoy sweeping views over the island, the Wadden Sea and the North Sea from the gallery. With around 65,000 paying visitors (2024), it is the most visited of the Amelander Musea.
| Adults | €7.30 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €5.80Children ages 5–12 €5.80, adult rate from age 13; no rate is given for children under 5. |
| Seniors | –No senior discount mentioned. |
| Students & apprentices | –No student discount mentioned. |
| Groups (15+ people) | €6.30 per person15 people or more; children (ages 5–12) €5.30. Reservation required for groups (info@amelandermusea.nl). |
| Bos, Strand en Vuurtorentocht (guided excursion including the tower climb) | €14.50Children ages 5–12 €10.50; groups with their own guide €10 per person (15–20 people). Book online. |
2026 rates. Tickets only at the ticket desk at the lighthouse. Acceptance of the Museumkaart is not mentioned for the lighthouse.
Not wheelchair-accessible: the climb involves 236 steps, and there is no accessible restroom. Dogs are not allowed; identifiable assistance dogs are welcome (let the staff know).
The climb is by stairs only; no visitor elevator is known.
Arriva bus line 130 (ferry terminal – Nes – Ballum – Hollum) to Hollum; the lighthouse is north of the village on Oranjeweg.
Ameland can be reached by ferry from Holwerd (arriving in Nes); on the island, the bicycle is the usual way to get around.
Get directionsLighthouse shop with souvenirs; photo prints by the exhibiting island artists can be ordered.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The exhibitions are spread across the floors of the tower; former lighthouse keepers tell their stories digitally. Guided excursion "Bos, Strand en Vuurtorentocht" through the woods and dunes to the beach, including a climb of the tower (bookable online). Groups of 15 or more by reservation only. |
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