Hilversum and Het Gooi: museums & tips

The story of Hilversum and Het Gooi

Hilversum was once printed on the tuning dials of radios all over Europe. Today it is the media town of the Netherlands, with Sound & Vision in a colourful glass building. Nearby lies Naarden, a fortress town in the shape of a star.

Hilversum is approx. 25 minutes by train from Amsterdam and approx. 20 minutes from Utrecht. Get off at Hilversum Media Park for Sound & Vision, the museum of radio, television and the internet, where you can present the news yourself. In the centre, Museum Hilversum tells the story of the town and the Gooi region. Then walk to the Town Hall by architect Dudok, an icon of modern architecture with tours up the tower. In the afternoon take the bus to Naarden, with its fortress walls and the Comenius Museum.

1931Dudok's Town Hall is completed
2006the Sound & Vision building opens
1670Comenius is buried in Naarden

Your museum day in Hilversum and Het Gooi

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

10:00MUSEUM
Sound & Vision Radio, TV and games, and your own news bulletin.
12:30EAT
Lunch in the centre Terraces around the Kerkbrink.
14:00MUSEUM
Dudok Town Hall A tour of the town hall and its tower.
19:00SLEEP
Hotel in the Gooi Stay among villas and heathland.

Hilversum and Het Gooi in six moments

1670Comenius dies and is buried in Naarden.
1874Hilversum gets a railway and grows into a village of villas.
1920sThe first broadcasters start in Hilversum.
1931Dudok's Town Hall opens.
2006Sound & Vision opens its colourful building on the Media Park.

What to do in Hilversum and Het Gooi

Six places to complete your museum day.

01
Sound & Vision

The museum of radio, television, games and the internet. Present the weather or the news yourself.

Media Park2 hours
02
Museum Hilversum

The history of Hilversum and the Gooi, with changing exhibitions on photography and media.

Kerkbrink1 hour
03
Hilversum Town Hall

Willem Marinus Dudok's famous town hall, with tours of the building and the tower.

Dudokpark1 hour
04
Comenius Museum

About Jan Amos Comenius, the Czech thinker on education who is buried in Naarden.

Naarden1 hour
05
Naarden Fortress

A fortress town with star-shaped walls and moats. Walk along the bastions.

Naarden1 to 2 hours

Museums in Hilversum and Het Gooi

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

All museums in Hilversum and Het Gooi (1)

Museum Hilversum

View Tickets & website ↗

On the map

All museums in Hilversum and Het Gooi. Click a museum for the route.

Plan your trip to Hilversum and Het Gooi ↗

Hidden story

Why Hilversum was on every radio

On old radios all over Europe you will find one Dutch name: Hilversum.

Read the storyHide the story

Hilversum was home to the Nederlandsche Seintoestellen Fabriek, which built transmitters. In the 1920s the first broadcasters started making programmes there, and the transmitters were named after the town: Hilversum. The tuning dials of radios all over Europe listed the names of stations, and so "Hilversum" appeared next to "London" and "Paris". The broadcasters stayed, and Hilversum became the media town of the Netherlands. At Sound & Vision you can see and hear a century of that history.

Where: Sound & Vision, Media Park

Beyond the city

The Gooi lies between Amsterdam and Utrecht, with heathland, forests and fortress towns.

Bus or train, approx. 15 min

Naarden

Star-shaped fortress town, with the Comenius Museum.

Route by public transport ↗

Bus from Hilversum, approx. 15 min

Singer Laren

Art museum in the old artists' village of Laren.

Route by public transport ↗

Train, approx. 20 min

Utrecht

The Dom Tower, canals and the Centraal Museum.

Route by public transport ↗

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

SLEEP

Stay in the Gooi, between heath and fortress

The Gooi has hotels in Hilversum, Naarden and Laren, often surrounded by greenery. Amsterdam and Utrecht are half an hour away. Walk or cycle across the Gooi heathland, or visit Singer Laren.

Find your hotel →