Deventer: museums, stories & tips for your day

The story of Deventer

Deventer is one of the oldest towns in the Netherlands. As a Hanseatic town it grew rich on trade along the IJssel. Erasmus went to school here, it has the oldest town library in the country, and every summer it hosts the largest book market in Europe.

Deventer is approx. 10 minutes by train from Apeldoorn and just over an hour from Amsterdam. The station is on the edge of the old town. On the Brink stands De Waag (Weigh House) of 1528, now the town museum. Around the Bergkerk, in the Bergkwartier, narrow streets are lined with medieval houses. The Toy Museum shows toys from the past, for young and old. Taste Deventer spiced cake, and come in August for the book market or in December for the Dickens Festival.

1528the Weigh House on the Brink is built
1560the Athenaeum Library is founded, the oldest town library in the Netherlands
Augustthe largest book market in Europe

Your museum day in Deventer

One day, four moments. How to get the most out of your visit.

10:00MUSEUM
Museum De Waag The history of the Hanseatic town.
12:30EAT
Lunch on the Brink Terraces around the big square.
14:00SHOP
Bergkwartier Small shops, studios and a slice of Deventer spiced cake.
19:00SLEEP
Hotel on the IJssel Views of the river and the town.

Deventer in six moments

Approx. 768The missionary Lebuinus builds a small church by the IJssel.
1340Geert Grote is born, later founder of the Modern Devotion.
14th-15th centuryDeventer flourishes as a Hanseatic town.
1528The Weigh House on the Brink is built.
1560The Athenaeum Library is founded.

What to do in Deventer

Six places to complete your museum day.

01
Museum De Waag

Deventer's town museum in the old Weigh House on the Brink, telling the town's history.

Brink1 hour
02
Bergkerk and Bergkwartier →

A medieval church on top of the old hill, with exhibitions and events. Around it lies an atmospheric old quarter.

Bergkwartier1 hour
03
Toy Museum

Toys from the past to today, with dolls' houses, trains and tin toys.

Brink1 hour
04
Lebuïnuskerk

Deventer's great church, with a tower you can climb.

Grote Kerkhof45 minutes
05
Along the IJssel

Walk along the quay, with views of the river and the town skyline.

Welle30 minutes

Museums in Deventer

Buy your tickets online and plan the rest of your day around them.

All museums in Deventer (1)

Bergkerk

View Tickets & website ↗

On the map

All museums in Deventer. Click a museum for the route.

Plan your trip to Deventer ↗

Hidden story

Erasmus at his school desk

The most famous Dutch scholar learned his Latin in Deventer. He never forgot the town.

Read the storyHide the story

Desiderius Erasmus was born in Rotterdam around 1466. As a boy he was sent to Deventer, to the Latin school of the Lebuïnuskerk, one of the best schools of its time. The town was then a centre of the Modern Devotion, a movement started by Deventer-born Geert Grote, which valued reading and copying books. Erasmus learned Latin here and met the new ideas of humanism. He went on to become one of the best-known thinkers in Europe. Deventer remained a town of books: the oldest town library in the Netherlands and the book market are reminders of that.

Where: Lebuïnuskerk, Deventer

Beyond the city

Deventer lies on the IJssel, between the Veluwe and the Sallandse Heuvelrug.

Train, approx. 15 min

Zutphen

Another Hanseatic town, with the Librije, a medieval chained library.

Route by public transport ↗

Train, approx. 10 min

Apeldoorn

Paleis Het Loo, the palace of Orange.

Route by public transport ↗

Train to Holten, approx. 15 min

Sallandse Heuvelrug

Heath and forests, with the Holterberg.

Route by public transport ↗

Travel times are indicative. Live times on 9292.nl ↗.

SLEEP

Stay in Deventer, between the IJssel and the Veluwe

Deventer has hotels in the old town and by the river. Apeldoorn and Zutphen are fifteen minutes away by train, Twente an hour. Rent a bike and follow the IJssel.

Find your hotel →