In the footsteps of Van Gogh: discover his Drenthe story
In 1883, Vincent van Gogh set foot on Drenthe soil. He travelled by train from The Hague to Hoogeveen, and continued his journey by towboat to Nieuw-Amsterdam/Veenoord. There, he stayed for three months in the Scholte inn, known today as the Van Gogh House Drenthe.
Drenthe moved him. The peace, the light, the landscape. Everything was different from what he knew. In letters to his brother Theo, he wrote about his desire to stay here and paint. “Here in Drenthe I have found my calling,” he wrote.
Visit the Van Gogh House Drenthe
The Van Gogh House Drenthe is the only place in the Netherlands where you can still step inside a house where Vincent actually lived. You can see the room where he slept and painted, his paint palette is ready, and his bed is still in exactly the same place.
The permanent exhibition combines authenticity with modern techniques: images, sound, and text bring Vincent’s Drenthe period to life. Here, you can feel what it was like to live, work, and search in the peatlands in 1883.
Cycling and walking routes with Van Gogh
7 Van Gogh routes take you through the landscape that inspired him:
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3 cycling routes (marked with white-green signs)
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4 walking routes (marked with white-brown signs)
Each route has its own theme. Three of the routes start and end at the Van Gogh House in Nieuw-Amsterdam/Veenoord. Along the way, you’ll encounter information pillars, viewpoint panels, and even podcasts where you can hear Vincent’s letters and stories. A special cycling guide has also been developed: Cycling with Van Gogh. This 160-page guide takes you along the routes and provides more insight into Van Gogh’s time in Drenthe around 1883. The guide is available at Tourist Info Emmen.
The route “Cycling with Van Gogh” has been named Cycling Route of the Year 2024!
Van Gogh murals
At the station in Nieuw-Amsterdam/Veenoord, you’ll find something special: two murals of 250 m² on the old grain silo. On one side is the famous watercolor
- Industrieweg 11, Veenoord
The Van Gogh Experience Garden
In Schoonebeek, around the former St. Nicholas Church, a colorful flower, herb, and fruit-picking garden has been created. It is a nod to the flowers that would later become so important in Vincent’s work – from sunflowers to irises. The experience garden is freely accessible.
Van Gogh at Tourist Info Emmen
Want to learn more or take something fun home? At Tourist Info Emmen, right next to the entrance of Wildlands, you’ll find Van Gogh items, routes, tips, and information about activities. The staff will be happy to help you get started.
