Westfries Museum, Art museum in Binnenstad, Hoorn, Netherlands.
The Westfries Museum is an art museum in Hoorn, housed in a city hall building from 1632 that stands on the main square. It holds around 38,000 objects across several floors, including paintings, silverware, and historical items covering the period from 1500 to 1800.
The museum was founded in 1880 to collect and preserve the history of West Friesland, and moved to its current building on the Roode Steen in 1932. That building was originally constructed in the 17th century as a shared city hall for seven towns in the region.
The collection includes objects linked to the Dutch East India Company, which had strong ties to the region, alongside civic guard paintings that once marked local status. Walking through the rooms gives a clear sense of how trade and community life were closely connected in West Friesland.
The museum is under renovation until 2027 and temporarily shows exhibitions at the Statenpoort on Nieuwstraat, a short walk from the main building. It is worth checking the current opening days before your visit, as the temporary location has limited hours.
During renovation work in 1953, cellars from the 15th century were found beneath the building and later opened to display finds from Hoorn and the area around it. These underground rooms offer a look at medieval city life that is rarely found in a museum of this type.
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