National Prison Museum | World Heritage Colonies of Benevolence - Veenhuizen

The Colonies of Benevolence is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021 and is located in both the Netherlands and Flanders. From 1818, colonies were founded here in undeveloped areas in the old Kingdom of the Netherlands. These colonies were also called pauper colonies. The aim was to give the urban poor people work and a better life in the countryside. A social experiment that sought to improve the world and society through structure, coercion and discipline.

About one million (!) Belgians and Dutch descend from people who lived in the Colonies of Benevolence. Dive into the archives at https://www.kolonienvanweldadigheid.eu/zoek-je-voorouders and find out if you too are descended from this!

The National Prison Museum is one of the visitor centres of the Colonies of Benevolence. The interactive museum takes you through the history of crime and punishment from 1600 to the present day. Don't forget to take a surprising tour through Veenhuizen in the old Boevenbus. Tens of thousands of prisoners preceded you, as this bus was used to transport prisoners between residential and working institutions.

Want to visit other parts of the Colonies of Benevolence? Visit: https://www.kolonienvanweldadigheid.eu

Photo 1 & 2: ©Miranda Drenth - via UNESCO World Heritage Colonies of Weldadigheid
Photo 3: ©Omke Oudeman - via UNESCO World Heritage Colonies of Weldadigheid