Last week, we opened our gates for the Weekend of Defence Heritage!

To kick off the programme, visitors joined a tour led by our volunteer Reiner, who guided them through the history of the fort and the UNESCO World Heritage site, exploring long corridors and concrete rooms that once served military purposes. Outside, the journey continued as visitors discovered the fort’s role in the fascinating history of the Amsterdam Defence Line.

For those curious about the natural surroundings of the fort, our ecology programme maker, Mariken Straat, led a walk around the biodiverse island. She highlighted local plants such as willows, dandelions, hawthorn, and yarrow, explaining their culinary, medicinal, and, in some cases, military uses.

Artist Folkert de Jong gave visitors an exclusive insight into his creative process during an Open Studio, part of his three-month research project Oracles. The artist engaged with visitors about working with natural materials—a new direction in his practice, which previously focused on non-degradable materials like Styrofoam and polyurethane.

Inspired by Folkert’s shift towards using willow branches and other local ecological materials, visitors who were up for a creative challenge were invited to weave willow branches together with our community programme maker, Manon Schreurs.

We would like to thank everyone for their attendance and participation!