Limburg war museum announces closure

The Eyewitness War Museum in Beek, Limburg, will close its doors on Oct. 1, announced the museum's director Wim Seelen on Tuesday. Despite the growing interest, he can no longer afford the necessary investments in the museum.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, the museum attracted more than 10,000 visitors annually. The collection consists of 13 dioramas, small scenes of World War II containing more than 150 dolls. The extensive collection consists of original pieces and a number of masterpieces that are very rare and valuable, according to the museum.

After its opening in 2013, the museum faced significant setbacks. Not was the coronavirus pandemic an obstacle for the museum, but it also faced a theft of extremely valuable objects in August 2020, according to Seelen. The damage from the break-in amounted to more than a million euros, he said. According to the director, the villa in which the museum is housed is also only partially suitable for further development.

After closing, the collection will be taken over by the War Museum in Overloon.