National Rescue Museumin the Port City of Den Helder
Dive into the world of sea rescuers. Dark nights, wind, water. Our interactive experience feels like real life. Discover everything about rescue work in a playful way. How do you determine your course? What do you do with a hypothermic victim? The key is to stay calm and act quickly. At the exhibits, you'll find yourself in calmer waters. Take a moment to reflect on the collections and stories of our sea heroes. Particularly impressive and often heartwarming.
Activities and Experiences
Wind Tunnel
Storm at sea! We're talking about wind force 10. Discover what that feels like in the wind tunnel. Test your sea legs as the wind rushes past you. Hair up, cheeks trembling, and your sweater flapping. Do you dare?
VR Experience
Experience a real-life sea rescue. Yes, really! Onboard the harbor rescue boat Nh1816, you're a crew member. The pager goes off, man overboard. Together with KNRM rescuers, you must save a drowning person. The adrenaline surges through your body.
Knot Table
Rescuers must be able to tie knots blindly. The bowline, figure-eight knot, anchor hitch. Each knot has its own function. You secure a rope or ensure it can be easily untied. Practice makes perfect.
Hero Game
Somewhere at sea, there's a person in the water. No time to lose! How quickly can you save someone? Rally the crew, navigate to the right spot. If the mission is successful, you'll earn the coveted rescue pass.
Doen en beleven
Windtunnel
VR-experience
Knopentafel
Heldenspel
Windtunnel
VR-experience
Knopentafel
Heldenspel
Collection and Stories
An impressive building made of stone, glass, and steel. It forms the perfect backdrop for our museum collection. The highlights are, of course, our rescue boats. From rowing lifeboats from the time of Dorus Rijkers to the speedy RIBs used by KNRM today. But what about thousands of objects such as paintings, photos, navigation equipment, life jackets, ship models, nautical charts, and medals? We've gathered them into beautiful exhibitions.
VR Experience NH1816
Experience a lifelike rescue mission aboard the NH1816. In this thrilling virtual reality experience, you become a crew member of the latest harbor rescue boat of the KNRM. The pager goes off, man overboard!
Cork Lifejacket
Since 1830, the KNRM has used a cork lifejacket, a significant advancement from the earlier woven reed belts, which were not particularly convenient or comfortable. You can find this remarkable piece in the exhibition "Sunk Rescues."
Tom-Boat
The Tom II was specifically designed for rescue operations in rough seas. A person in distress could be placed on the net between the two rowers. This type of rescue boat was named after Ernst Schildein, a rescuer from The Hague whose nickname was Tom. The TOM-boat was last deployed in 1975.
Coast Guard Reporting Desk
The Coast Guard Center serves as the "control room" for emergencies, receiving distress calls from ships in trouble. These calls come in at a desk, also known as the reporting desk. The Coast Guard then initiates the rescue operation.
Golden Pocket Watch of Dorus Rijkers
In 1887, the North German ship Renown stranded near Den Helder. Dorus Rijkers (skipper of the lifeboat) and his Blue Sea Knights saved 23 shipwrecked sailors. In recognition of his bravery, the German emperor awarded Dorus with a magnificent golden pocket watch.
Boat Trips in Den Helder
When visiting our rescue museum, you'll want to get on the water. From April 1 to November 1, our rescue boats are in service. The Johan de Witt makes daily tours in the inner harbor of Den Helder. Book a time slot and come aboard. Our larger rescue boats head out to sea. By appointment, we sail with groups for a few hours on the sea, the Wadden Sea, or the North Holland Canal.
Watch
Our
Vlogs
Rescue work is fascinating and fun! There's so much to tell that it almost can't fit into a single museum visit. That's why you can get more inspiration at home. In our YouTube vlogs, we take you to the depot—with 4,000 hidden treasures! You can also virtually sail on our rescue boats and get craft tips.
