The history of the museum in a nutshell

The open-air museum was founded in 1959 as Stichting Landbouwkundig, Oudheidkundig, Kunstminnend Museum Het Hoogeland. The purpose of the foundation was, and still is, to collect, keep and exhibit anything that pertains to the life and work of the Groningen rural community in times gone by.

The collection consists of premises and artefacts. To manage the property, the foundation Monumenten Openluchtmuseum Het Hoogeland was set up in 1983.

The area that was destined to become the museum site is located on the highest point of the mound in the centre of the village of Warffum. In 1959 this site contained ten houses, two school buildings and one barn. Most buildings in the open-air museum are where they have always been. Supplemented with some premises from the region, they provide an authentic and fascinating picture of daily life around 1900. Over the years, many buildings have been acquired and the site has expanded to its current size.