With huge public interest, and in the presence of almost all 160 museum-volunteers, the newly renovated DAF Museum in Eindhoven was officially opened by Professor Mr. Pieter van Vollenhoven. Mr van Vollenhoven is a member of the Dutch royal family, which has always had special ties to DAF.
With its record visitor count standing at close to 60,000 per year, the DAF Museum is one of the most popular museums in the Eindhoven region and the most popular museum in the city, according to research by TripAdvisor. Not happy to rest on its laurels, the DAF Museum is set to become an even more exciting attraction — the museum has just undergone eighteen months of major renovation and modernisation work and is aiming to increase its visitor numbers to 80,000 per year.
Astounding expansion
As you enter the “new” museum, the first thing you notice is the completely new entrance area, the renovated restaurant, the new gift shop and the fresh, modern look that all of these areas have been given. However, the biggest change only becomes obvious once you enter the exhibition space — a completely new wing providing no less than 1,100 m2 of space has been added.
“This fantastic expansion has given us even more space to better showroom the highlights of DAF’s rich history”, says Marc Van Doorne, President of the Friends of the DAF Museum Foundation and the grandson of DAF founder Hub Van Doorne. “It also means that we now have the ability to trace DAF’s history right through to the present day, allowing us to highlight the importance of modern transport as well as showcase the latest developments in the industry, for example in engine technology. ‘Van Doorne’s Aanhangwagen Fabriek’, later known as the ‘Van Doorne’s Automobiel Fabriek’, has always been renowned for its innovative solutions. These solutions have resulted in an impressive series of trailers, cars and trucks, which are all on display in the DAF Museum.”
Official opening
The museum was officially opened on Friday 8 November 2019 by Professor Mr. Pieter van Vollenhoven, who arrived at the DAF Museum in a unique DAF Pony. Only 15 of these trucks were ever produced — one of which was owned by the Dutch royal family.
Heartfelt gratitude for the volunteers
“I am sure that my grandfather Hub and his brother Wim Van Doorne would be incredibly proud if they could see what we have achieved with the new DAF Museum”, says Marc Van Doorne, President of the Friends of the DAF Museum Foundation. “We are particularly grateful to our more than 160 volunteers—who are, for the most part, enthusiastic former DAF employees—without whom we would not have been able to carry out this renovation and who make sure that everything in the museum is spot on and ready to receive our visitors every single day.”
