Museum de Proefkolonie

It is 1818. Napoleon has left our country as the 'Kingdom of the Poor'. Johannes van den Bosch is a socially committed general and comes as a savior. His ambitious plan is to combat poverty in the Netherlands by establishing agricultural colonies. This is how the Society of Benevolence is created. Poor city dwellers are received in Southwest Drenthe and can count on work and shelter. Children are obliged to go to school and there is a private health insurance fund. With these social provisions, the Society of Benevolence is ahead of the rest of the Netherlands and is therefore regarded as the cradle of our welfare state.

See, experience, marvel

Go back 200 years in time and experience this unique story by Johannes van den Bosch. In the new Museum De Proefkolonie in Frederiksoord you can follow in the footsteps of the first settlers and experience their unforgettable story through a unique multimedia journey through time!

 

Also discover the outdoor museum

Many walking and cycling routes lead from the museum along the historical legacy. Go on a discovery tour and see the colony houses, the church, the basketry, forestry school and the horticultural school! Also from Park Drentheland there are various cycling and walking routes that tell the story of the colony.

Combine your visit with a visit to the National Prison Museum. The stories fit together perfectly.

Location: Frederiksoord
Distance from Park Drentheland: 13km