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General Museum Information
The home of Corrie ten Boom
is now a museum! It is perfectly situated in the center of the beautiful
old city of Haarlem, Holland. (Haarlem is a 15 minute train ride west of
Amsterdam.) Much of the house has been refurbished to appear
as it did in the 1940's. Visitors can see the actual "hiding
place," which is a small area behind a false wall in Corrie's bedroom.
This is where Jews and others were safely hidden from the Nazis. The museum also
contains a book shop. The Corrie ten Boom House is located at 19 Barteljorisstraat,
Haarlem.
Museum Hours
The Corrie ten Boom House is
open on the following schedule:
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from April 1 through
October 31
Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM (10:00) with the last tour beginning at
3:30 PM (15:30)
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from
November 1 through March 31
Tuesday through Saturday from 11 AM (11:00) with the last tour beginning at
2:30 PM (14:30)
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The museum is closed
Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays.
Admittance
Admittance to the museum is
free. Donations are appreciated. Groups of up to 20 people
can tour the museum by special arrangement (see "Tours for Groups"
below).
Tours
Visitors are given guided
tours through the Ten Boom home. Tours are led by knowledgeable guides who
are volunteers. Tours are about one hour in length. Tours are usually available
in English and Nederlands.
Guides share the inspiring stories of this family as visitors are led through
the house. The house has been
restored and has many rare family photographs, mementos and items from the war
years.
The history of the Ten Boom family is a testimony of their love and
loyalty toward the Jewish people. This home is once again an "open
house," just as it was when the Ten Booms lived in it. The museum is
a living memorial to this family who lived as Christians by grace and
obedience to God. It is hoped that many visitors will find inspiration in
the example of the Ten Boom family. This old house carries an important message
for today!
Schedule of Tours
This is how you find the time of the next tour when you arrive at the Corrie ten
Boom House: There is an alley (a small street) alongside the Ten Boom
House. Walk past the watch shop on this narrow street and you will find
the family door to the Ten Boom home. A sign on this green door gives the time of the next tour. Visitors gather
in the side street and
are invited into the house by a guide at the appropriate time for the tour.
Visitors are asked not to wait in the watch shop unless they are interested in
purchasing fine watches or jewelry.
Tours for Groups
Groups of up to
20 persons
who desire to visit the museum should telephone (0031 (0)23 5310 823), e-mail
(info@corrietenboom.com), or fax (0031 (0)23 5268 481) to receive a
reservation. An entry fee of 2,50 Euros per person is requested for group
tours.
Ten Boom Horlogerie
(Watch Shop) in
the Corrie ten Boom Museum
In keeping with the
tradition of this house, the Ten Boom Horlogerie (Watch Shop) is open for
business. The shop has been updated, and includes the sale of fine watches and jewelry.
Some watches carry the The Ten
Boom name.
Directions to Corrie ten
Boom Museum
Haarlem Central Station can
be easily reached by train or bus. There is also a parking garage for cars
one block from the station. Directions from the station to the
museum are very simple to follow. There are markers on many street corners
pointing the direction toward Haarlem's tourist sites. Follow the
signs for "C. ten Boomhuis."
DIRECTIONS FROM HAARLEM
CENTRAL STATION (Train and Bus Station)
It is a 15 minute walk from
Central Station to the Corrie ten Boom Museum. The street on the west side
of Central Station is Kruisweg. The VVV (Tourist Office) is also located
on the Kruisweg side of the station. When you are facing Kruisweg with the
station behind you, turn left and walk up Kruisweg. This is toward
Haarlem's Grote Markt (Market Square). Kruisweg changes names to
Kruisstraat and then to Barteljorisstraat, but it is all the same street.
The museum is located on the left side, at 19 Barteljorisstraat. The museum is one block before
you reach the market square. The street in front of the museum is
pedestrians only.
When you are standing in front of the Ten Boom Museum and watch shop, this is
how to find the time of the next tour: There is an alley (a small street)
alongside the Corrie ten Boom House. Walk past the watch shop on this
narrow street and you will find the family door to the Ten Boom home. A sign on this
green door gives the time of the next tour. Visitors gather in the side
street, and
are invited into the house by a guide at the appropriate time for the tour.
Visitors are asked not to wait in the watch shop unless they are interested in
purchasing fine watches or jewelry.
If you have to wait awhile
for the next tour, continue on Barteljorisstraat one block to the Grote Markt (Market
Square).
There you can tour beautiful St. Bavo Church, and there are many restaurants
including a McDonald's.
DIRECTIONS FROM AIRPORT
(International flights to Amsterdam fly into Schiphol Airport.)
Schiphol Airport has a train
station within it. It is approximately a 30 minute train ride to Haarlem
via Amsterdam. One change of trains is required. Destination is Haarlem Central Station.
Ask for specific directions at the train ticket counter.
DIRECTIONS BY CAR
Haarlem can be reached from
Amsterdam off of the N5/A5 autoroute. From the south (The Hague or
Rotterdam) via A4, take the Haarlem turnoff at N201 or by take the A5 going
west. Once in the Haarlem area, follow the signs to the VVV (Tourist
Office). The VVV is located on the Kruisweg side of Central Station (train
and bus station). There is a parking garage one block south of the station
on Lange Herenstraat.
There are three other parking garages in Haarlem, all within walking distance of
the museum. Street parking is not advised.
What else to see in
Haarlem
St. Bavo Church is located
one block from the Corrie ten Boom Museum on Haarlem's Grote Markt (Market Square).
St. Bavo is
the beautiful Dutch Reformed Church the Ten Boom family often attended.
You may remember the stories Corrie tells about playing in this church as a
child. You can also see and hear St. Bavo's famous organ. It has
been played by Mozart and Handel.
There are two
well-known art museums in Haarlem: Frans Hals Museum and Teylers Museum.
The Town Hall and the Fish Hall on the Grote Markt exemplify the
character of Haarlem. Each of these sites are within easy walking distance
of the Corrie ten Boom House. More information may be obtained
at the VVV (Tourist Office) which is located on the Kruisweg side of
Haarlem's Central Station (train and bus station).
Flowers--The
area around Haarlem is especially beautiful in the spring. If your visit occurs between March
and May, you will be able to view the gorgeous fields of tulips and other bulb
flowers.
World-famous Keukenhof flower gardens is open from March 30 through mid-May.
Keukenhof is a short bus ride from Haarlem.
Where to stay in Haarlem
Hotel information for
Haarlem is provided at http://www.hotelinformation.com
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