Roden: Museums, Heritage and Events

If you’re considering museums, heritage and events during your stay, Roden offers several specific places to visit. Options range from insights into the history of a havezate to a marked heritage route, cultural festivals and museums with different themes. When planning your trip, you can decide whether a historical visit, an event or a particular collection is your priority.

Museums and Historic Routes

The Havezate Mensinge Museum is furnished largely with original items and offers a glimpse into how people once lived in a Drenthe havezate. The havezate was first mentioned in 1381 as a fief of the Bishop of Utrecht. This historical reference places the house’s history in context, while the furnishings provide insights into living conditions in the past. The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Check the opening hours again before your visit.

The Mensingebos plays an important recreational role for Roden. One way to explore Roden on foot is the signposted 9 km Erfgoedroute Roden, which passes through the village. You can shorten it to 5 km by starting at Havezate Mensinge instead of at the Brink. The two route lengths offer a clear choice between the full and shorter options. As trail conditions can change, it’s a good idea to check them before setting out.

The “Dikste eik van Drenthe,” a so-called Wodanseik, stands on Mensingeweg; its circumference is measured at intervals. For other historical sights, there is also the mobile heritage app “Roden in je broekzak,” which guides visitors to places like these. The marked route and the app therefore offer different ways to explore Roden’s heritage.

The Scheepstra Kabinet also offers an engaging encounter with the past: at this interactive museum, visitors can sit at historic school desks. Kunstencentrum K38 offers exhibitions and short-term activities. As the exhibition program changes, check the latest dates if a particular exhibition is important to your travel plans.

Culture and Events

Theater de Winsinghhof is housed in a historic building on the Brink and has 147 seats. It also serves as a cinema. The program includes theater, music and performances for children; individual performances are seasonal. De Winsinghhof thus brings together several types of programming at one venue, while the specific selection depends on the season.

If you’re planning a trip around a festival, two different events take place in September. Wat 'n Kunst is an arts and culture festival held every year on the first weekend of September; it was first held in 2017. Rodermarkt lasts a week and takes place around the fourth weekend of September. It features a parade, live music, trotting races and a fair. While Wat 'n Kunst focuses on arts and culture, Rodermarkt combines several types of events. Exact dates and programs can vary each year. If you’d like to plan your stay around one of these events, check the dates for the relevant year.

Museums with Other Themes

Speelgoedmuseum Roden invites you to explore the largest toy collection in the Netherlands. The museum also has an outdoor playground and a carousel. The exhibits and outdoor attractions give your visit different points of interest, so you don’t have to limit yourself to an indoor visit.

At the petting zoo, visitors can see and touch animals; admission is free. As information about operations needs to be kept up to date, check the visitor information before your visit. That way, you can choose the different stops in Roden to suit your travel group’s interests, from the historical collection at the havezate to toys and animals, as well as cultural programs and events.

Discover more destinations: Veenhuizen, Roderesch, Roderwolde, Een-West, Een, Westervelde, Zuidvelde, Norg

For the broader travel overview: Noordenveld.