kiwibird: Archeon, Alphen aan de Rijn

This is definitely a child friendly museum. So was crowded with children, all enjoying themselves and learning much about the early history of the Netherlands. Most of the museum is outside, with workshops and displays, and very activity based. Perfect for children, and adults too.

Of course the historical objects are not original but rather reconstructed from archaeological finds (Prehistory and Roman history), or modelled on buildings still in existence (Middle Ages). But the range of history is extensive - from 9,000 BC to 1500 AD.

First we went to the huts that were based on life for people from 9,000 BC to when the Romans occupied the Netherlands. And these huts were suitably dark with many cobwebs on the ceiling. Luckily Raphy did not see the cobwebs because he does not like spiders. The man, he was real, was taking apart a piece of deer meat, in readiness to cook it over the fire. My Dutch was not good enough to understand his full explanation.

Some of the huts are similar to the prototype Neolithic huts which will be part of the revamped display at Stonehenge, which is interesting. So people travelled around, but then the sea between the UK and the Netherlands was once a valley.

Unfortunately I caught this poor man's backside as he went through the doorway. You certainly have to bend over to get into the houses. This house is a reconstruction of houses from 8800 to 5300 BC (Mesolithicum)

The children enjoyed rowing the canoes, although trying to row together in the same direction was quite a task. But they did not fall out, thank goodness. We held our breath!

I am not sure where I am in past history, with the following houses, but they are definitely reconstructions of very old houses (somewhere between 5300 to 12 BC). The houses are certainly becoming larger, and more comfortable, with benches and sheepskins everywhere.

Where am I? Get me out of here. This very long house, with quarters for animals, was very dark.

Cooking damper over the fire.

At last we are getting somewhere. This part has houses that are recognisable. Beginning of the late middle ages (about 1000 AD). We did not visit the houses of the early middle ages (406 to 1000 AD) due to being overloaded with information, and the need to get home. Still very dark inside the building.

And into the late middle ages, from 1000 to 1500 AD. And copies of buildings that are still standing in the Netherlands. There are windows, chimneys and recognisable furniture inside. We spent a lot of time around these buildings as there were so many activities for the children, making bread and woollen bracelets as well as watching the blacksmith and shoemaker. It was fascinating watching activities that once were part of the daily lives of the people of that era.

The vegetable garden plots surrounding by herbs.

The outside loo! Nothing new here!

Stoking the fire up in readiness for bread making. A great pizza oven!

Sword demonstration.

Learning to dance. The monastery is in the background. There was a wedding (real and modern) on the day we visited the museum.

We stepped into the Roman era, 12 BC to 406 AD and into a highly sophisticated and cultured life, with all its creature comforts, for the well off anyway. The contrast in building methods, from local reed houses to Roman brick and plaster, was especially remarkable. The building below houses the Roman baths.

Such luxury, and plenty of light too.

One of the smaller baths, cleanliness was important. The baths are used during the summer months. For real.

The Gladiators, a pretend fight thank goodness. The Romans were very cultured in some ways, but barbaric in others, especially in their enjoyment of activities in the arena. Feeding people to the lions, and fights that ended in one person being killed, was not exactly being cultured. Apparently the Romans nearly depleted Africa of all its lions in their quest to keep up the supply of lions in the arena! Or so I have been told.