Photo: Udo Ockema, CC BY 3.0Oudheidkamer Uldrik Bottema
Small local history museum preserving the heritage of Aldeboarn.
Limited openinguldrikbottema.nl
Photo: Udo Ockema, CC BY 3.0Small local history museum preserving the heritage of Aldeboarn.
Limited openinguldrikbottema.nl
Photo: Udo Ockema, CC BY 3.0Open-air museum recreating traditional Frisian village life.
Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00 (seasonal)Museum exploring historic Dutch cooking, kitchens and culinary traditions.
Limited openingkookmuseum.nlSpecialist museum of shaving equipment and barber history.
Limited openingscheermuseum.nlMuseum housed in the historic town hall of Bolsward.
Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00
Photo: Wutsje / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0Birthplace museum of Frisian poet Gysbert Japicx.
Seasonalgysbertjapicx.nlMuseum exploring the life and legacy of Frisian freedom fighter Grutte Pier.
Limited openingusheit.nlMuseum about the Ice Ages, fossils and archaeology.
Tue–Sun
Photo: RomkeHoekstra, CC BY-SA 4.0Preserved home and artwork of self-taught artist Ruurd Wiersma.
Seasonalruurdwiersma.nl
Photo: Arjuno3, CC BY-SA 4.0Museum combining farming history and beachcombing traditions.
Tue–Sun
Photo: Drewes, CC0Museum and observatory combining astronomy, geology and regional history.
Tue–Sunobserveum.nlPhoto: Drewes, CC0Combination of regional history museum and observatory.
Limited openingvolkssterrenwachtburgum.nlOpen-air museum about peat workers and rural life.
Tue–Sat (seasonal)Quirky museum devoted to historic classroom wall charts.
Limited openingschoolplatenmuseum.nl
Photo: Gouwenaar, Public domainMuseum covering the history of Dokkum and Boniface.
Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00Photo: Gouwenaar, Public domainHistoric building exploring the naval and civic history of Dokkum.
Tue–Sun (seasonal)admiraliteitshuis.nl
Photo: P. Martina, Public domainMuseum of modern art and the De Stijl movement in Drachten.
Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00
Photo: Baykedevries, CC BY-SA 4.0Museum of modern and contemporary art with changing cultural exhibitions.
Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00Museum celebrating Friesland's famous sailing barges.
Tue–Sun (seasonal)skutsjemuseum.nl
Photo: Gouwenaar, Public domainFriesland's oldest stone house, now a museum of regional history and archaeology.
Tue–Sun (seasonal)
Photo: Dqfn13, CC BY-SA 4.0Museum celebrating the life and work of artist Yeb Hettinga.
Seasonalyebhettingamuseum.nl
Photo: Ieneach fan 'e Esk, CC BY-SA 4.0Museum celebrating Friesland's traditional handball sport.
Tue–Sun 13:00–17:00
Photo: Almawiersma, CC BY-SA 4.0Historic mansion telling the story of Franeker and the Martena family.
Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00
Photo: Wutsje / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0The world's oldest working planetarium and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00
Photo: User Drewes on fy.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0Museum covering the history of Opsterland.
Tue–Satmuseumopsterland.nlMuseum about the Dutch Civil Defence organisation during the Cold War.
Limited openingbbmuseum.nlMuseum of minerals, crystals and fossils.
Limited openingmineralogischmuseum.nl
Photo: Baykedevries, CC BY-SA 4.0Open-air museum recreating the lives of peat workers and poor rural communities.
Tue–Sat (seasonal)
Photo: Weefemwe, CC BY-SA 3.0Museum of Harlingen's maritime history and local heritage.
Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00
Photo: H.M. van den Berg, CC BY-SA 4.0Local museum focusing on the history of Heerenveen and surrounding villages.
Tue–Sun 13:00–17:00museumheerenveen.nl
Photo: TUFOWKTM, Public domainHistoric house museum and cultural exhibitions.
Seasonalwillemvanharenmuseum.nl
Photo: Udo Ockema, CC BY 3.0Museum about the unique culture, language and painted art of Hindeloopen.
Tue–Sun 13:00–17:00
Photo: http://fy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meidogger:Mysha, CC0The world's first museum devoted entirely to skating.
Daily 10:00–17:00schaatsmuseum.nl
Photo: JoachimKohlerBremen, CC BY-SA 4.0Museum of Ameland's maritime and whaling heritage.
Tue–SunMuseum celebrating the history of sea rescue around Ameland.
Tue–Sun
Photo: ankeric @ Mapillary.com, CC BY-SA 4.0Museum celebrating the town's timber, sawmill and shipbuilding heritage.
Tue–Sunhoutstad-ijlst.nl
Photo: Uberprutser, CC BY-SA 4.0Beautiful Frisian estate with period interiors and gardens.
Tue–Sun (seasonal)
Photo: A. J. van der Wal, CC BY-SA 4.0Historic museum celebrating the birthplace of Douwe Egberts, Frisian clocks and traditional crafts.
Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00
Photo: Swarte Kees at Western Frisian Wikipedia, Public domainMuseum dedicated to the history of printing and graphic arts in Friesland.
Seasonal / limited openingfriesgrafischmuseum.nlSpecialist museum with one of Europe's largest collections of puzzles and brain teasers.
By appointmentpuzzelmuseum.nl
Photo: Michiel1972, CC BY-SA 3.0Museum inside wartime bunkers on the Afsluitdijk.
Tue–Sun (seasonal)kazemattenmuseum.nl
Photo: Condor3d, CC BY 4.0Museum dedicated to the history of farming in Friesland.
Tue–Sat 10:00–17:00
Photo: Wutsje / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0The provincial museum of Friesland, covering art, history and Frisian culture.
Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00Photo: Wutsje / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0Museum telling the story of resistance and occupation in Friesland during the Second World War.
Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00
Photo: Natuurmuseum Fryslân, CC BY-SA 4.0Natural history museum with interactive exhibits for all ages.
Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00
Photo: Vidi Condor, CC BY 4.0Museum displaying the works of Frisian sculptor Pier Pander.
Tue–Sun (seasonal)National museum dedicated to ceramics from around the world.
Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00
Photo: Otter, CC BY-SA 4.0Traditional grocery shop preserved as a museum.
Limited openingdegrutterswinkel.nl
Photo: Raimond Spekking, CC BY-SA 4.0Historic harbour featuring traditional vessels.
Open daily (ships vary)museumhavenleeuwarden.nlMuseum dedicated to diving history and underwater archaeology.
Limited openingduikmuseumlemmer.nlRegional museum preserving the history of the Lemsterland area.
Limited openinglemsterfiifgea.nl
Photo: Unknown, Public domainHistoric Frisian state house preserved as a museum.
Wed–Sun (seasonal)
Photo: Gouwenaar, Public domainOpen-air museum preserving the lives of 19th-century fishing families.
Tue–Sun (seasonal)
Photo: Ymnes, CC BY-SA 4.0Private museum celebrating the life and career of Elvis Presley.
By appointmentelvispresleymuseum.nl
Photo: Jan Dijkstra, CC BY 3.0Museum about peat extraction and life in the former peat colonies.
Tue–Sun (seasonal)Quirky museum devoted entirely to cows and dairy culture.
By appointmentkoeienmuseum.nlMuseum displaying one of the largest collections of traditional wooden shoes in Europe.
Tue–Satklompenmuseum.nl
Photo: MarcoSwart, CC BY-SA 4.0Historic house museum dedicated to painter Betzy Akersloot-Berg.
Tue–Sun
Photo: Paul Arps from The Netherlands, CC BY 2.0Nature museum exploring the wildlife, beaches and maritime history of Vlieland.
Dailydenoordwester.nl
Photo: Rick0098b, CC BY-SA 3.0Museum of modern and contemporary art in a parkland setting.
Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00
Photo: Schelpenmuseum Paal 14 Schiermonnikoog, CC BY-SA 3.0Museum displaying shells and marine life from around the world.
Seasonalschelpenmuseum.nl
Photo: Udo Ockema, CC BY 3.0Museum telling the story of the smallest of Friesland's Eleven Cities.
Seasonalmuseumsloten.nl
Photo: Condor3d, CC BY-SA 4.0Maritime museum exploring Frisian shipping, waterways and the history of Sneek.
Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00
Photo: Baykedevries, CC BY-SA 3.0Railway museum featuring detailed model railways and historic locomotives.
Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00Small museum and exhibition space celebrating the history of Stavoren.
Limited openingponthus.nlMuseum showcasing the history of Opel through classic vehicles and memorabilia.
Limited openingopelmuseum.nl
Photo: MarcoSwart, CC BY-SA 3.0Museum exploring the history of Terschelling and explorer Willem Barentsz.
Tue–Sun
Photo: Unknown, CC0Second World War bunker museum in the dunes.
Seasonalbunkermuseumterschelling.nlMuseum preserving the fishing heritage of Terschelling.
Seasonalvisserijmuseumterschelling.nlLocal museum featuring the history and traditions of Weststellingwerf.
Limited openingkiekhuus.nl
Photo: RomkeHoekstra, CC BY-SA 4.0Collection of artefacts illustrating the history of Weststellingwerf.
Limited openingoudheidkamerweststellingwerf.nlMuseum dedicated to Friesland's centuries-long battle against the water.
Limited openingdestrijdtegenhetwater.nlMuseum dedicated to the history of cheese-making in Friesland.
Tue–Suntsiispakhus.nl
Photo: Udo Ockema, CC BY 3.0Museum dedicated to the life and paintings of Jopie Huisman.
Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00
Photo: Gouwenaar, CC0Local history museum celebrating Workum's heritage.
Seasonalwarkumserfskip.nlTry a different spelling, or clear the filters to browse them all again.
Friesland has 75 museums across 47 towns, and the oldest working planetarium in the world.
Eise Eisinga was a wool comber in Franeker who built a moving model of the solar system into the ceiling of his living room between 1774 and 1781, to calm neighbours who feared the planets would collide. It has been running ever since and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can still see the clockwork in the loft above.
This is a province with its own language and a museum culture to match: island collections, ship museums, and a museum devoted to kaatsen, the Frisian handball game. Thirty-four of the 75 accept the Museumcard.
The island museums depend on ferry times rather than opening hours, so plan those around the boat. Mainland Friesland needs a car for anything outside Leeuwarden. Only two of the 75 open every day.
We build private days across this province around the museums you actually want to see, with driving, tickets and timing arranged so the day works rather than sprawls.
Plan your tour, or see all our private tours.
This page is part of our complete guide to museums in the Netherlands, covering all 1,167 of them.