Schoenenkwartier

The Schoenenkwartier, or Shoe Quarter, is the museum and cultural centre of Waalwijk, a town in North Brabant that was once the capital of the Dutch shoe and leather industry. The area around Waalwijk and the neighbouring Langstraat region was dominated for generations by tanneries, shoe factories and workshops, and thousands of people worked in the trade. The museum tells the story of that industry, from handcrafted footwear to mass production, and also looks at its future.

The leather trade in the region goes back centuries. The wetlands and forests of the Langstraat provided oak bark, which was used in tanning, and water for the process, and the proximity to markets in Holland and Flanders helped trade. In the nineteenth century, small workshops turned into factories as machines such as the sewing machine and the lasting machine speeded up production, and Waalwijk gained a reputation as the place where Dutch shoes were made. Many families had members in the industry, and the trade shaped the culture and economy of the town.

The exhibits give a vivid picture. Visitors can see a wide range of footwear, from sturdy work boots and children's shoes to elegant fashion pieces, and the machines and tools that were used to make them. Reconstructed workshops show how shoemakers worked, and displays on materials explain the difference between types of leather. The museum also tackles the decline of the industry in the second half of the twentieth century, when production moved to countries with lower costs, and the changes that this brought to the region.

The museum is housed in a complex of buildings that have been converted for the purpose, and it forms part of a quarter that includes a knowledge centre and the Maaklabs workshop space. The aim is to link heritage with innovation, so that the story does not end in the past. Temporary exhibitions often explore fashion, design and sustainability in footwear, and there are activities for families.

Waalwijk also offers the Sint Jan de Doper church, Theater De Leest and the Loonse en Drunense Duinen nearby for walks. The museum suits design and fashion fans, families and anyone curious about industrial heritage. Allow about two hours, and check opening times and the programme before you go.