Arnhem's Openluchtmuseum

When I go to the Netherlands I have a few touristy things in mind that I want to see and do:

• explore by bike

• hang out in the cute little town square coffee shops and restaurants

• see stuff that feels Dutch, i.e. check out some windmills

It kinda felt like a visit to the Open Air Museum would hit up most of these interests. Once we finally found the entrance to the Open Air Museum (it isn’t a challenge for most, but was for me due to challenges with an offline Google maps), I quickly realized we would be spending all afternoon here and a visit to the national park just wasn’t gonna happen for us. This place was huge and obviously well loved by many.

The museum which opened in 1912 is 44 hectares and offers a fascinating mix of historical buildings and ways of life from days gone by. It felt a bit like Jamestown or one of those historical tourist places I remember visiting as a kid along the eastern U.S.

After exploring for hours we suddenly realized we were some of the only visitors left. 5PM had come which meant that the park was shutting down and we would need to return to the exit. We didn’t manage to see quite everything, but made a pretty good go at it! This place was definitely worth it for us. Cost was about $22 for entrance. If you are in the area and have half a day at least in which to explore, be sure to check it out!