Archeon

Archeon medieval bakery
Location	Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands
Coordinates	52°06′54″N 4°39′02″E / 52.114928°N 4.650462°E / 52.114928; 4.650462
Opened	1994 (1994)
Theme	archeology, stone-age, Roman period, middle-ages
Attendance	300.000
Website	https://www.archeon.nl/index.html

Archeon is an archeological open air and living museum in Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands.^[1]

Archeon opened as a theme park in 1994, with a focus on demonstrating archaeology to the public. It quickly underwent financial trouble and was on the brink of bankruptcy in 1995.^[2] However, it recovered and then evolved into an open air museum, reconstructing various eras from Dutch history. In 2011, the South Holland House of Archaeology was opened, (in Dutch: Archeologiehuis Zuid-Holland). Under the management of Archeon and located at its entrance, it exhibits various archaeological discoveries in the area.^[3] In 2015, Archeon was recognised as a formal museum and under the management of the Archeon Museum Park Foundation (in Dutch: Stichting Museumpark Archeon) ^[4]

The museum features various historical periods of Dutch history via archeological reconstructions and historical reenactments. Educated actors called archeo-interpreters inform visitors about the living circumstances at those days. Visitors can engage in activities. Among the periods portrayed are the Stone Age, the Roman times and the Medieval period. A restoration yard with original wooden ships from the Roman period, found at Zwammerdam, is part of the collection.^[5] The museum also contains an arena, where reenactments of Roman gladiator fights are held.^[6]

Archeon was and is host to several festivals such as the Midsummer Fair, the Midwinter Fair, the Roman Festival and the Elf Fantasy Fair.^[7]

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  Restoration yard Roman ships
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  Roman shields and helmets (replica)
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  Roman fight technique Testudo
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  Middle-age pharmacy, re-enactment with archeo-interpreter
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  Villa Rijswijk
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  Closter
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  Singing monks
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  Shop Middle Ages, re-enactment with archeo-interpreter
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  Middle age youth

• Netherlands Open Air Museum at Arnhem
• Zuiderzee Museum at Enkhuizen
• Zaanse Schans at Zaandam

• Planel, P.; Stone, P.G. (2003). The Constructed Past: Experimental Archaeology, Education and the Public. One World Archaeology. Taylor & Francis. p. 171. ISBN 978-1-134-82828-9. Retrieved 2021-04-29.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Archeon.

• Official website