Opened from 10:00 - 17:00
Fort Kijkduin is part of the Stichting Erfgoed Den Helder. A dedicated team of staff and volunteers works daily to preserve, manage, and share this unique heritage with the public.
Den Helder is home to beautiful heritage with a rich history. At various points in time, events took place in and around Den Helder that marked turning points in Dutch history. To better preserve and utilize this remarkable heritage and its historical stories, the municipality proposed in 2020 to merge BV Willemsoord and the Stichting Stelling Den Helder into a single organization: Stichting Erfgoed Den Helder.
Fort Kijkduin, part of Stichting Erfgoed Den Helder, is the most well-known fort of the Stelling Den Helder. It was built in 1811 by order of Napoleon and was last restored in 1996. Since then, the fort has been open to the public. Visitors can explore a North Sea aquarium, exhibitions on the fort’s history (featuring unique artillery pieces), an underground tunnel connecting the outdoor route with the fort route, and a zoological exhibition displaying the skeleton of Chris the Sperm Whale. In addition, the fort includes a café facility that is part of the museum. The operation of the fort is managed by Zeebad Huisduinen BV.
The organization of Fort Kijkduin consists of a director-administrator, an operations manager, 13 part-time employees, and a group of dedicated volunteers.
We manage, maintain, and cherish Fort Kijkduin as part of the Stelling of Den Helder for current and future generations.