Museumpark VONK: Iron Age and Middle Ages Open-Air Museum

Step back in time in the middle of the Genneper Parken. Museumpark VONK, the new name for what many locals still call the preHistorisch Dorp and the Eindhoven Museum, is an open-air museum where you walk through farms and houses from the Iron Age and the Middle Ages. It is one of the best days out in Eindhoven for families.

From prehistoric village to museum park

The museum started in 1982 as a reconstructed prehistoric village, built by teachers from a local teacher training college led by Anneke Boonstra. The aim was to show children how people lived in this region thousands of years ago. The project grew and grew: in 1995 a small group even lived as people in the Iron Age for two months, and in the late 1990s the museum doubled in size and added the Middle Ages. Today the preHistorisch Dorp and the Eindhoven Museum together form Museumpark VONK.

What you can see and do

The open-air museum: reconstructed farms and houses from the Iron Age and the Middle Ages, in a green setting along the Dommel.
Living history: people in period clothing show how daily life used to be, with cooking over an open fire, old crafts and medieval games.
Hands-on activities: children can often join in, and there are extra activities during the school holidays.
The museum building: the history of Eindhoven and the region, with archaeological finds and objects from prehistory to the time of Philips.

Plan enough time: about an hour for the museum building alone, and three to four hours if you also explore the open-air museum and join the activities.

Opening hours and tickets

Open: every day from 10:00 to 17:00. Check the website for exceptions on public holidays.
Tickets: sold online and at the ticket desk. Free with a Museumkaart.
Parking: the museum car park has a limited number of spaces at a day rate of €5.

Good to know for families

Most of the museum is outdoors, so dress for the weather and wear shoes that can get a bit muddy. The museum is in the Genneper Parken, where you can combine your visit with a walk or a picnic along the river. For school groups, the museum even offers overnight stays.

For internationals

For international families, Museumpark VONK is a wonderful way to learn about the history of the region you now live in. The activities are visual and hands-on, so children enjoy them whatever language they speak, and staff are happy to help in English.

Getting there

By bus: lines 7, 317, 318, 407 and 408 run from Eindhoven Centraal to the Boutenslaan stop, about every ten minutes. From there it is a twelve-minute walk. Lines 15 and 16 stop at Camphuysenstraat, a thirteen-minute walk away.
By car: use the museum car park (€5 per day). When it is full, there are alternatives along the Boutenslaan.
By bike: the Genneper Parken are about fifteen minutes from the city centre.

The address is Boutenslaan 161B, 5644 TV Eindhoven.

See Eindhoven with kids, our museums guide and the things to do and see in Eindhoven.