Soesterberg: Military History and Nature

Military history shapes Soesterberg, while paths also lead through Park Vliegbasis Soesterberg. Museums, memorial sites and routes offer different points of focus for planning your trip. You can tailor your stay to whether you are interested in collections, the airbase’s former use, or nature and outdoor activities.

Military History and Collections

The Nationaal Militair Museum has the largest military collection in the Netherlands. It displays 19 aircraft and helicopters. The Monumentenroute starts at the museum and takes about 30 minutes—a specific starting point and a route with a defined duration for anyone who would like to add a historical route to their visit.

At Kamp Soesterberg, the Historische Collectie Bevoorradings- & Transporttroepen presents the history of the former Intendance service branch from 1905 to 2000. The collection is open year-round on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00 to 15:00, with no appointment needed. The Dienstvakverzameling Militaire Administratie offers another perspective, giving an impression of the work of the military administration before and after the Second World War.

The Regiment Technical Troops Museum has been housed in building V15 at Kamp Soesterberg since 9 September 2004. Its exhibition includes uniforms from different eras and operational deployments. The library has more than 18,600 registered books. Together, the exhibition and library offer two distinct insights into the museum.

The landscape also preserves traces of military history. The control tower remains as an iconic landmark and a valuable reminder of the Cold War. Soesterberg’s main military runway is 3,077 metres long, making it the longest military runway in the Netherlands. The most authentic section of the Wegh der Weegen can be seen from the Stichtse rotonde in the direction of Soesterberg.

Nature and Routes in Park Vliegbasis Soesterberg

Park Vliegbasis Soesterberg covers 375 hectares. More than 4,000 different plant and animal species have been observed there. The nature reserve is open from sunrise to sunset. One walking route passes through the Munitiepark; another, the Soesterberg Noord walking route, passes military remains. These include an old German command bunker, the Nationaal Militair Museum, various memorials and aircraft.

Since 2014, cyclists have been able to cross the former Vliegbasis Soesterberg via the Wethouder Lemmenpad and ride along its runways. For route planning, two other routes offer different distances: the Militair Erfgoed Soesterberg cycling route is 43 kilometres long, while the southern loop of the Soesterberg route on Het lint van Soest is 16 kilometres. This makes the loop the shorter of the two routes mentioned.

The historical tours also differ in scale. While the Monumentenroute is described as taking about 30 minutes, the historical audio tour is a 7-kilometre route that you can complete on foot or by bicycle. It includes eight historical sights and can be accessed by scanning eight QR codes. Check the current usage information for the audio tour in advance.

The outdoor grounds of the Nationaal Militair Museum in Park Vliegbasis Soesterberg offer rides in a real military vehicle, mini-quad biking and an obstacle course. Check the seasonal availability of these activities before your visit.

Practical Information

If you arrive by bus, routes 575, 56 and 34 stop opposite De Basis at Zwaantje in Soesterberg. Check the timetables before travelling. De Basis has a bar serving coffee, tea and other drinks, as well as sandwiches and other snacks.

Discover more destinations: Soest, Soestduinen.

Go to the main travel overview: Soest.