Since this week the weather is showing too, we’re close to the autumn holiday already. (I’ll refrain from further clichés about time flying). But while the leaves are falling – creating more space for the Sun’s beams to shine through – I still have a few pictures I took in the previous holiday I want to show. And it’s actually good timing, ‘cause you can visit the place I took them at, in the next break too. In fact, it’s my tip of the… well, I can just wholeheartedly recommend it.
Meet the most fun museum of the Netherlands: Het Spoorwegmuseum (the railway museum). And that’s not just my opinion; they won an award saying so last year. And once you’ve entered, you quickly see why. I wasn’t sure whether I was inside a building or actually on an old railway station, but the real, old and beautiful trains on real rails were awesome. After we’d seen those on the outside – and in – we stepped into a lift which took us back a couple of centuries. To the year 1839 to be more precise, when the first steam locomotive the Arend (Dutch for Eagle) hauled the first train between Amsterdam and Haarlem. And we could be passengers too. A bit later, we were taken on a trip with the famous, international, Oriënt Express.
I have to admit, I’m easily impressed. And I always loved trains. In fact, if I hadn’t become a teacher I might even have ended up as a conductor. Like my dad. And his brother. And their dad was a railroad engineer, like his dad. So pretty much half of my family worked on trains. But even without the personal sentiment, this museum deserves all the praise. It has so much stuff! Besides the real trains and their miniatures, it has attics full of signs, clocks, hats, posters, tickets; you name it, they got it. There’s a rail roller coaster, you can wait in royal waiting rooms, there’s an old ticket office, there’s art and when you’re really outside there’s an old signaling control. You can also try what it’s like to be a train driver yourself, which is not only fun when you’re a ten year old, I can tell you.
Basically, there’s too much to name. What I loved most about the place though, was its atmosphere. I’m not really sure how they do it – lights? And it smells so nice too! – but it’s a bit like you’re in a different world. It has a fun ride for kids, impressive stories about rail accidents and while you’re at it, you’ll learn lots, which is exactly what a museum is for. So enough said. Here’s one of your next holiday-days planned.
The entrance (though we came through the back door).
The explanation of steam trains…
Dad showing his work.
Me in the Eagle.
A Royal Train.
Looots of cool stuff.
The Eagle as a miniature.
Aren’t these trains beautiful?
Well-deserved! Pictures by Henny van Arkel and Hanny van Arkel.
3 Comments
From Goat Mountain Astronomical Research Station (GMARS)which is run by Riverside Astronomical Society. We would love to have you visit us here in Southern California. Maybe to give a talk about the project that you worked upon at one of our meetings. We have read in several different publications about your groups work but I sure that hearing it first hand and being able to ask questions would give more of an impact.
Hope to hear from You
Gary Nelson
GMARS Site Project Manager
I totally agree! It’s the most fun museum in the Netherlands.
Thanks Dad,
And Gary, I’ve sent you an e-mail.