Openluchtmuseum Marken

Marken is a former island in the Markermeer, north of Amsterdam, that has been connected to the mainland by a causeway since 1957, and the Marker Museum is the best place to learn about its history. The museum is located at Kerkbuurt 44 to 47, in a row of six interlinked wooden houses that show how the island's fishing families lived in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is not a separate open-air museum, but it is part of a village that is itself preserved as a living heritage site.

Marken's character comes from its isolation. For centuries the island lay in the Zuiderzee, cut off from the mainland, and its people developed their own customs, dialect and style of dress. The houses were built of wood on small artificial mounds called werven, which raised them above the water in times of flood, and many of them stand on stilts or on a base of earth. They are painted dark green with white trim and have steep roofs, and they cluster along narrow lanes and around small harbours. The result is a village that looks like a model of itself.

Inside the museum, the rooms show the arrangement of a fisherman's home. Low ceilings, box beds, tiled walls and small windows reflect the practical use of space in a cold and damp climate. Costumes, pottery, tools and nets illustrate daily life, and displays explain the importance of fishing, particularly for anchovies and eels. The traditional costume of Marken, with its striped skirts, embroidered bodices and caps, is one of the best-known in the Netherlands, and examples are on show.

Outside, the village is a pleasure to explore. The harbour has fishing boats and cafes, and the Paard van Marken, a small lighthouse in the shape of a house, stands on the point at the end of the island. A causeway links the island to the mainland, and the road is also a cycling route. The village has shops selling clogs, cheese and souvenirs on the main street, and a maritime museum in the old church area adds more detail.

Marken suits families, photographers and anyone who likes picturesque villages. It is busiest in summer, so go early or in the late afternoon. Boats run from Volendam and from Enkhuizen, giving another way to arrive.