See and do ~ Art & Culture in Zandvoort

Art & Culture in Zandvoort

Discover Zandvoort’s quirky character in artworks and Zandvoort’s culture. Discover works in public spaces and immerse yourself in the racing, fishing and beach culture.

Zandvoort Artistic and quirky

Zandvoort is an artists’ village. The fact that the beach and the sea are an inexhaustible source of inspiration is shown by the many galleries and the 2 museums that you will find in the village. In addition to these galleries and museums where you can admire art, there are also several sculptures scattered throughout Zandvoort. But in addition to art, Zandvoort also has its very own culture. Characterised by its history, Zandvoort has its very own fishing, racing and beach culture with its beach, racetrack and village.

Stunning murals

I never knew that Zandvoort has so much art in public spaces. The painted gates to the old centre, the gorgeous murals at Van Fenemaplein and the awesome art by Street art Frankey on South Beach. Very cool!

– Nadine

Museums & Studios

Museum Zandvoort

Modern and contemporary Art

The Zandvoort Museum is the artistic epicentre of Zandvoort. The museum in the centre of Zandvoort shows a changing exhibition of brilliant art, ranging from paintings to sculptures. The museum also manages the Zandvoort art collection. This can be viewed as a permanent exhibition. In addition, the museum has two historical rooms that provide an insight into the history of the village.

Zandvoorts Museum
Jutters museum Zandvoort

Rockets and sea creatures

Objects regularly wash up on the beach at Zandvoort. Most of them have been washed up by ships at sea. In the Beachcomber’s Museum you will find the most unusual things that have washed up on Zandvoort beach. From aeroplane remains and war material to a mammoth tooth and even part of a NASA rocket. You can also see the different animals of the North Sea in the various aquariums. Highly recommended for children!

Jutters Mu-Zee-um

Art studios in Zandvoort

The surroundings of Zandvoort are a source of inspiration for many creative minds. Actors, musicians, visual artists: Zandvoort has produced legions of them. So it’s no wonder that there are numerous studios in the village where you can see and buy the artists’ work (by appointment).

Art and cultural events

Calendar

Art in public space

Sculptureroute

Kees Verkade, Marlene Sjerps, Edo van Tetterode and Charlotte van Pallandt are well-known names in the art world. They also play an important role in Zandvoort’s art decoration. There are 32 sculptures by them and other well-known artists scattered throughout Zandvoort. This makes Zandvoort a large open-air museum. At the Zandvoort Museum, you can also buy a route that takes you past the sculptures.

Download route
Street Art Zandvoort

Street art

In addition to the sculptures in public spaces, you can also enjoy breathtaking street art from 2024. During the Street Art Festival, murals were installed at various locations in Zandvoort. You can find the art on the wall of Mel’s Pintxos restaurant near the railway station, the old Dolfirama building next to the Palace Hotel and the various arches in Engelbertstraat, among others. A complete route is available at the Zandvoorts Museum.

Sloppies Zandvoort

Sloppies: old streets and fishermen's houses

Zandvoort is a fishing village. And you can still see this in several places in the centre. Although almost the entire boulevard was destroyed in the Second World War, many old fishermen’s houses have been preserved. You can take a guided tour along these houses, through the slums of Zandvoort, via the Zandvoorts Museum. The guide will tell you all about the fishing era and the houses you pass.

Art at boulevard / promenade Zandvoort

Outdoor exhibition on the promenade

During the year, you can also visit an open-air exhibition on the Badhuisplein or on the boulevard. These changing exhibitions are organised by the Zandvoorts Museum and are free to visit.

Sloppies Zandvoort

Monumental buildings

Zandvoort is a village with beautiful monumental buildings, national and municipal monuments. In Haarlemmerstraat and Kostverlorenstraat alone, you will find many beautiful veranda houses where holidays used to be celebrated. Most of these houses were built in the early 1900s and have names such as Villa Lands End and De Zeemeermin. In total, there are 11 national monuments and 203 municipal monuments in Zandvoort.

Different cultures in Zandvoort

Formule 1 at circuit Zandvoort

Raceculture

Racing is inextricably linked with Zandvoort. Once a year, the coastal town is the epicentre of the racing world and images of the Dutch Grand Prix go around the world. With its rich racing history, motor racing has become part of Zandvoort’s culture. The race track, the stories, the memorabilia and the racing monument all contribute to this.

Strollers on the beach at Zandvoort with a kite surfer in the sea

BeachCulture

With the advent of bathhouses, beach culture has grown and not disappeared. The great outdoors, sand in the houses, rough winds and warm sunshine. Beachcombing and water sports, people-watching on the beach and watching the sea glisten on a warm summer night. It’s all part of Zandvoort and is woven into the DNA of Zandvoort.

buy fresh fish in Zandvoort beach

Fishermenculture

Zandvoort was originally a fishing village and you can still see this in many places today. In the town centre you can stroll through the ‘sloppies’, past the old fishermen’s houses, and in autumn you can see Zandvoort residents fishing for crabs with nets. It is therefore not surprising that the coat of arms of Zandvoort contains 3 herrings and Zandvoorters are also called Scharrekoppen. Much of the distance that the fisherwomen travelled to Haarlem can still be covered on foot or by bicycle.

About the route

Haarlem City of Culture

The cultural city of Haarlem is 10 minutes by train from Zandvoort. With the Grote Kerk, several museums, theatres and performances, it is the ideal city for a cultural trip in the region.

History of Zandvoort

Zandvoort has a rich history. From fishing village to fashionable seaside resort.