BROUWS MUSEUM
BROUWERSHAVEN, ZEELAND
The small town Brouwershaven located on the northernmost island in Zeeland, Schouwen-Duiveland, can proudly look back on a rich maritime history. On the one hand a harbour for the transfer of goods, and on the other hand a home base for fishermen. Yet it was not only commerce and fishery that determined the image of the harbour. And this was certainly not the case between 1838 and 1870 when Brouwershaven took over the role of Rotterdam as principal harbour when the silting up of tidal inlets made entrance to the major port impossible.
The Brouws Museum shows every aspect of the relationship Brouwershaven maintained with the shipping industry. This is accomplished by means of authentic ship models, interesting maritime paintings, topographical maps, navigational charts, engravings, and so on.
But there is more. The museum collection contains a number of designs that characterize former life at sea and in the harbor. Navigational instruments at sea or on the coast, a portion of the gold trading coins found in Brouwershaven in 2000 (15th to 17th centuries), models of ship artillery and a number of other interesting and/or curious items. It goes without saying that the economic and social history of the narrow town itself plays an important role in the collection.
The collection is housed in two prestigious historical buildings along the former commerce and fishermen's harbour of the town, now the domain of the pleasure boating industry. In beautifully ambient surroundings with a total area of 200 square meters the visitor is treated to memories of a rich and interesting past.
In addition to maritime items and a historical collection, the Brouws Museum also houses an auditorium for the exhibition of films and a library.
