Historisch Openluchtmuseum Eindhoven
Encyclopedia
The Historisch Openluchtmuseum Eindhoven (HOME) (Historic Open air museum of Eindhoven) is an archaeological open air museum
in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, focusing on the Iron Age
and Middle Ages
of the province of Noord-Brabant. The museum is situated in the Genneper Parken park area in the southern side of the city. It focuses on the daily lives and routines of people in the time periods mentioned, through demonstrations and recreations of buildings, practices and routines. For example, there are demonstrations of cooking on open fire, of games played in the Middle Ages and groups of school children are allowed to spend the night in the stable
s.
The museum has several distinct target audiences. Primary among these are school children, who comprise most of the visitors on weekdays. In the weekends and during holiday season the museum focuses on regular tourists. The museum features a lot of living history
exhibits as well as semi-historical reenactments. During holiday seasons extra activities are staged for children. The museum also arranges historically themed corporate and family outings outside of opening hours. Some 60.000 people visited the museum in 2005.
Luc Eekhout became director of the museum in September 2010.
In 1995 the museum drew national and international attention with the life experiment. Officially called "For 2 Moons", it involved a small group (including the director Anneke Boonstra) withdrawing from civilization for two months to live life as it was in the Iron Age.
Towards the end of the 1990s the museum received European subsidies, allowing it to double in size and add a whole new theme on the new grounds: the Middle Ages.
Archaeological open air museum
An archaeological open air museum is a non-profit permanent institution with outdoor true to scale architectural reconstructions primarily based on archaeological sources...
in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, focusing on the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
and Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
of the province of Noord-Brabant. The museum is situated in the Genneper Parken park area in the southern side of the city. It focuses on the daily lives and routines of people in the time periods mentioned, through demonstrations and recreations of buildings, practices and routines. For example, there are demonstrations of cooking on open fire, of games played in the Middle Ages and groups of school children are allowed to spend the night in the stable
Stable
A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals...
s.
The museum has several distinct target audiences. Primary among these are school children, who comprise most of the visitors on weekdays. In the weekends and during holiday season the museum focuses on regular tourists. The museum features a lot of living history
Living history
Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to reenact a specific event in history, living history is...
exhibits as well as semi-historical reenactments. During holiday seasons extra activities are staged for children. The museum also arranges historically themed corporate and family outings outside of opening hours. Some 60.000 people visited the museum in 2005.
Luc Eekhout became director of the museum in September 2010.
History
The museum was founded in 1982 by a group of teachers from the local teachers academy led by Anneke Boonstra; it was then known as the "prehistoric village". The first ten years were spent slowly and painstakingly building an Iron Age village with help of many volunteers and local unemployed people.In 1995 the museum drew national and international attention with the life experiment. Officially called "For 2 Moons", it involved a small group (including the director Anneke Boonstra) withdrawing from civilization for two months to live life as it was in the Iron Age.
Towards the end of the 1990s the museum received European subsidies, allowing it to double in size and add a whole new theme on the new grounds: the Middle Ages.
External links
- Museum's Website
- The museum is one of the founding members of EXARC, the international ICOMICOMICOM may refer to:* International Council of Museums* Icom Incorporated, radio equipment manufacturer* Industrial Common Ownership Movement , a co-operative federation that now forms part of Co-operatives UK* ICOM Simulations, software company...
affiliated association of archaeological open air museumArchaeological open air museumAn archaeological open air museum is a non-profit permanent institution with outdoor true to scale architectural reconstructions primarily based on archaeological sources...
s and experimental archaeologyExperimental archaeologyExperimental archaeology employs a number of different methods, techniques, analyses, and approaches in order to generate and test hypotheses, based upon archaeological source material, like ancient structures or artifacts. It should not be confused with primitive technology which is not concerned...
. - From 2006 to 2009 the museum was project lead of a European project of 8 archaeological open air museums, liveARCH