Veenkoloniaal Museum

Located in the village of Veendam, the museum displays Groningen’s peat district’s Golden Era and history.

Found inside a former high school building, the Veenkoloniaal Museum (Colonial Peat Museum) is all about the local area of Veendam and Groningen. How did the peat district industries develop? What was the local culture of Veendam like? Unknown to the vast majority of tourists, Veenkoloniaal Museum is a hidden gem for slow travellers to discover.

What to see at the museum

What’s that nostalgia you’re feeling? The museum takes you back into the past of Groningen. Founded in 1939, the museum focuses on the Groninger Veenkoloniën (Groningen peat district). You’ll learn all about how the people of this province built ships, developed peat extraction, and shipped goods across the Baltic sea, and more!

Peat digging might not sound that exciting, but Groningen has it to thank for the many beautiful landscapes and canals throughout the province. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about Groningen, this museum is a must.

• During the Golden Era of the 19th century, tons of ships sailed out from Veendam and other peat villages to trade - sometimes all the way to Portugal and the UK! The peat villages of Groningen, Veendam included, are surrounded by rivers and traces of the past.
• Veenkoloniaal’s permanent exhibit shows the highlights of the 19th century. From famous figures such as Willem Albert Scholten, who founded the first multinational company in Europe, to the sugratte Aletta Jacobs.
• The museum doesn't just deliver the past to you in glass display cabinets. You’ll be partly walking through it! Inside, you’ll find a re-creation of shops and buildings from the 19th century.
• You get more than the permanent collection too! Check out the museum exhibits to scratch that creative itch. The exhibits are usually on Durch art and culture, including textiles and modern art.