Veenkoloniaal Museum - Veendam

The Veenkoloniaal Museum in Veendam takes you back to the days of peat extraction, shipping and the potato starch industry that made this region great. The peat barges gave rise to the peat colony maritime trade and more and more trade routes were established with Germany, the Baltic states and Russia.

This museum tells the story of the peat colony society, in which peat workers, captains and manufacturers played an important role. You will find old ship models, paintings and stories of people who lived and worked in this region. You can even take a walk along the reconstructed lock quay, complete with grocery shop, café and boat builder.

In addition to the permanent collection, there are regularly changing exhibitions about life in the peat colonies. You will learn about the harsh reality of the peat workers and the impressive trade across the sea. The museum brings the history of this region of Groningen to life.

Photo 1: ©Nationaal Archief