Den Helder, Visitorcentre Willemsoord

Whitney Valk, all-round teacher and founder of House of Dance. Teaching is the best thing there is for her! She enjoys sharing your passion with others with pleasure and love.

Sleep in a coast guard tower, with a view of the sea and history under your feet

Fried fish, home-smoked fish and the tastiest fish dishes.

Enjoy the Burgundian lifestyle at C'est Si Bon.

La Mer is a mixed choir that has film, musical and popular established music on its repertoire, this will be accompanied by a super combo. All this under the guidance of a very skilled conductor: Arjan Busscher

Meet artists, learn techniques and be inspired at this artistic association

Since 1996, the museum lightship Texel No. 10 has been an absolute eye-catcher in Museum Harbor Willemsoord on the Oude Rijkswerf Willemsoord in Den Helder. What is special is that the now beautifully restored ship is moored a stone's throw from the slipway where she was launched in 1951. After this, the lightship would be a reliable beacon in the sea off the Dutch coast for forty years. It now forms a shining centerpiece of a special museum ships collection. Lightship Texel is open to the public, check the website for current opening times.

When you sail with the Tres Hombres, you will not count as a passenger, no, you're really a part of the crew! You come on board "with the safe holes" or you start at the lower rungs of the ladder. You learn the necessary safety knowledge for ordinary seaman, ship maintenance, steering, pay attention to changes, set sail and more. Then you proceed to sailor: Ropework, basic navigation and maneuvering under sail. Eventually after the necessary sailing time you have the experience to become a boatswain: leadership, harnesses, sail sewing, carpentry and ship seamanship in the widest.

The Medemblikkerloods on Willemsoord is a place where history comes to life. Here, wood is still worked, just as it was in the past. The name refers to the carpenters from Medemblik who practiced their craft here in the 19th century. In their original shed, dating from 1833, wood was dried after years of soaking in the Binnenhaven to soften it enough for working. After serving as a copper warehouse, metalworking shop, and storage for dockworkers, the old shed was demolished in the 1980s. But in 2003, it was rebuilt with the same design and renewed energy. It is now a well-equipped woodworking shop where restoration and maintenance of classic ships—from botters to sloops—are carried out. Thanks to support from the Wadden Fund and the efforts of dozens of volunteers, this shed has become a vibrant place. You'll also find an instruction room and storage facilities, all dedicated to preserving the Museum Harbor. Everything here exudes craftsmanship, a love of maritime heritage, and a focus on sustainability. The warehouse is managed by the Willemsoord Shipyard Foundation. A visit is more than just seeing – it's experiencing how past and future merge in wood, hands, and stories.