The museum ship
An old cargo ship dating from 1924 has been converted into a floating castle.
Find out more →A floating museum about the Middle Ages
Welcome aboard the Vlotburg
The Middle Ages were a harsh and dark time – a time of castles, knights, damsels and heroic warriors.
Floating museum ship
A former cargo ship approximately 50 metres long.
Hand-built
By Len Vries and carpenter Jan Westerhuis.
Realistic scenes
On housing, food, clothing and traditional crafts.
On the road since 2005
The museum tours the Netherlands and Europe.
Discover the Vlotburg museum ship
On our floating museum ship, you can experience this way of life first-hand in a unique and surprising way. Lifelike scenes show how people ate, what kind of clothes they wore, and what crafts and customs they practised.
Berths
The Vlotburg travels from place to place. Find out where it is currently moored.
Request information →
Schools & Groups
Guided tours can be arranged in advance for school groups and other groups .
Get in touch →Where are we?
Berths
| Date | Event | Place/Country |
|---|---|---|
| 20.03. - 30.05.2026 | Vlotburg in Nieuwegein Utrechtsestraatweg bij de blauwe Brug | Nieuwegein / Netherlands |
| ➜ | ||
Events
News
About us
The people behind Vlotburg
The Vlotburg was built out of a love of history, craftsmanship and life on the water.
Len Vries, together with the carpenter Jan Westerhuis, converted a former cargo ship into a floating castle. On board, sets, artefacts and stories bring everyday life in the Middle Ages to life.
Hand-built
A unique craft project.
Always on the move
From town to town across Europe.
History
Welcome aboard the Vlotburg
The Middle Ages were a harsh and dark time. A time of castles, knights, damsels and heroic warriors. Children’s eyes light up when they hear the wonderful stories of the knights’ adventurous journeys in their magnificent armour.
But life wasn’t always as glorious as it is in the stories and fairy tales. Have you ever thought about the everyday lives of serfs, craftsmen, farmhands and maids?
On our floating museum ship, you can experience this way of life first-hand in a unique and surprising way. We showcase lifelike scenes of how people ate, what clothes they wore, and what crafts and medieval customs existed.
Our floating castle ship, a 50-metre-long cargo ship, houses this extensive exhibition. This fortress was built from heavy, solid oak beams. The Vlotburg travels from town to town via rivers and canals. Come and visit us when we’re moored in your town!
Implementation
From a brilliant idea to the creation of a fully-fledged museum
When Lenny wanted to build a castle ship to house a medieval museum, he first made a scale model.
This allowed others to get an idea of his grand plans. Many regarded Lenny as an artist with too much imagination and did not believe he would ever be able to turn his model into reality. Others recognised his drive and his zest for life and helped him in his search for a suitable vessel. Two years passed before Lenny found what he was looking for. The Andisa, a former cargo ship 50 metres long and 6.6 metres wide, proved to be perfect.
Lenny was then able to search Germany for the 60 tonnes of solid oak beams that were to give the ship its suitably robust appearance. In the Black Forest, the required timber was gathered from various farmers. A friendly greengrocer offered to bring this large quantity of timber to the Netherlands, as his lorry would be empty on the return journey. Lenny then spoke to his good friend, the carpenter Jan Westerhuis, and together they began building the castle.
- Former cargo ship Andisa
- Dimensions 50 × 6,6 Meter
- Solid oak 60 Tons
- Construction period Almost 3 years
A shipyard that thought things through
Now all that was needed was an affordable shipyard that was willing to support the construction of the museum over several years. By a stroke of luck, Lenny came into contact with the Brouwer shipyard in Zaandam. There, he was not only offered a reasonable price, but also every conceivable form of support. Initially, Brouwer were also sceptical, but little by little they realised that Lenny could move mountains, and they threw their weight behind him.
Three years of building and persevering
A crane was needed to load the 60 tonnes of timber from Germany onto the ship. Initially, the project progressed steadily, and Lenny was optimistic that he would be able to complete the work within a year. Never before had such a large structure been erected in this way on a ship. Once the structure was in place, it became clear to Lenny, however, that the details and the execution of the finer carpentry work would take much more time. With determination, the problems were overcome. For instance, a storm tore the entire roofing off the ship, and numerous safety requirements had to be met. After almost three years, the Vlotburg Museum was completed!
Wodan makes the dream come true
Lenny had one more heartfelt wish: a horse on board his castle ship. It was to complete his medieval creation and breathe life into it. Lenny found a strong, gentle and calm horse. It was love at first sight, and he was named Wodan. He strides proudly across ‘his’ deck and is completely at home on the Vlotburg .
Museum development
A dream came true
Lenny de Vries was born 50 years ago in the jungle of Suriname . Even as a child, living in this tropical environment, he was fascinated by the Middle Ages and dreamt of a life as a lord of a castle and a knight on horseback.
When he arrived in the Netherlands thirty years ago, Lenny began to take a closer interest in the Middle Ages. By the 1980s, with his family’s help, he had collected so many objects and materials that he was able to put together his first travelling exhibition. With his medieval museum, he travelled through the Netherlands, France, Austria, Belgium and Germany. The exhibition grew so much that a medieval torture museum could be established in Freiburg im Breisgau. Originally, Lenny had intended to stay there for a year, but then he met his partner. Together, they devised a plan to open a travelling museum on a ship. The Torture Museum is now permanently based in Freiburg and attracts numerous curious visitors every year.
More about the implementation
From the collection to the museum ship
- A childhood dream Suriname
- First exhibition the 1980s
- Travelling Museum Europe
- New plan Museum ship
Plan a visit
Admission prices and opening hours
The Vlotburg travels from place to place. You should therefore check, before
departure, its current mooring location and the
visiting arrangements.
Vlotburg · Vogelezang 28 · NL-1815 GT
Alkmaar · Telefon
+49 (0) 172 760 3319
·
info@vlotburg.nl
| Category | Information | Time / Price |
|---|---|---|
| Opening hours | Monday to Sunday | 11:00–18:00 |
| Admission prices | Adults | 5,50 € |
| Admission prices | Children (aged 3 to 13) | 4,50 € |
| Admission prices | Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) | 16,00 € |
| Admission prices | Students (with a valid student ID card) | 5,00 € |
| Groups and schools | Special offers | Get in touch |
You can contact us at any time to find out about our special offers for schools and groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Well prepared on board
The ship changes berths regularly. Please contact us
to find out its current location.
Yes. School groups and other groups can book a guided tour in advance
.
Please use the contact form or send an email to
info@vlotburg.nl.
Vlotburg in pictures
Film & Television
05 November 2020
Franca Kolman - Vlotburg op de Eem
Foto Franca Kolman - Vlotburg op de Eem
Any questions or would you like to make a booking?
Contact
Get in touch directly to find out the current mooring location, visiting arrangements or to book a group tour.
-
Address
Vlotburg
Vogelezang 28
NL-1815 GT Alkmaar -
Telephone
+49 (0) 172 760 3319 -
E-mail
info@vlotburg.nl