Forteiland Pampus in Muiden

What a special place. Embarking from Muiden could be a bit faster, but we thoroughly enjoyed the island. So much to explore.

Wait for the ferry and then go to Pampus

This is a man-made fortress island in the IJmeer, east of Amsterdam. Built between 1887 and 1895 to block naval access—especially from Russia—it never saw active combat during WWI and was later abandoned before being restored as a cultural heritage site. Today, the island combines history with leisure: families relax by the waterfront while the fortress hosts interactive exhibits and events. Boats run from April to mid-October, but departures are limited, so it’s best to check the schedule in advance.

A fun day out with the kids. There's lots to see and it's very interactive. The boat trip to the island is also a lot of fun.

Unfortunately, the ferry was not running that day and I was not on the island. But the weather was great and I really enjoyed the trip from Almere to Muiden.

Very beautiful island we were there by boat, advice was asked about places

Nice to walk around in an afternoon

A beautiful piece of Dutch history, Fort Island Pampus, part of the Dutch Waterlines, the Defence Line of Amsterdam. Interesting and interactive museum and fort.

We were there on a Saturday. Entry to the fort is free with the museum ticket, but the ferry there is a separate payment. You can do this either on the ferry or in advance online on the fort's website. A quick aside: Depending on where you park (if you're driving), you'll need to allow yourself some time. If you're on the wrong side of the bridge and it's just opened for boat trips, you might end up arriving at the ferry a few seconds too late (as happened to us), and it might drive off right in front of you. Then you have to wait an hour for the next one. Okay, now to the fort itself. The fort is quite nice to look at. There's a map to help you find your way around, and there's a treasure hunt for children - you can get one at the restaurant right at the beginning. The fort itself is rather spartan. Here and there are a few interactive activities, but they're crowded, so you really have to be lucky to try one out right away, or have the patience to wait until your turn. The highlight was the "Balloon Ride" and the room that leads to it. A huge part of what made this such a great experience for us was the super-friendly staff member. He immediately recognized our German helplessness and not only made sure the preview film was shown for us in German, but also that we were able to fully enjoy the "Balloon Ride" (almost like a private screening) in German. A HUGE THANK YOU to this wonderful staff member, whose name I unfortunately forgot to ask. All in all, it was a fantastic experience. You can actually get a lot out of the fort by recreating some of the rooms, for example, perhaps the pharmacy or the sleeping area.

Definitely do this in combination with a visit to Muiden and Muiderslot. It offers a glimpse into Dutch history. The island can only be reached by boat, for which it's best to buy tickets in advance.

What a wonderful story about this island. Truly fascinating. Includes a fun hot air balloon ride over the forts of Amsterdam. An experience for all ages, and equally enjoyable.

It's a good 2-3-hour excursion on the island. It's a nice boat ride, about 15 minutes each way. You can also buy tickets on the ferry. The restaurant on the island is more of a snack bar for a few snacks and cold drinks.

English see below Great fort on an island. Something different if you take a ferry to the fort. You can also travel there by boat, SUP, or whatever, but then the museum ticket is probably not valid. With the museum ticket, entry to the fort is free, but the ferry costs money. There is also a casual restaurant on the island with delicious dishes. You can even spend the night here, either in a fixed tent or in a tiny cottage. I really liked it here and can highly recommend it. 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 Great fort on an island. Something different if you take a ferry to the fort. You can also travel there by boat, SUP, or whatever, but then the museum ticket is probably not valid. Entry to the fort is free with the museum ticket, but the ferry costs money. There is also a casual restaurant on the island with delicious dishes. You can even spend the night here, either in a fixed tent or in a tiny cottage. I really liked it here and can only recommend it.

Nice outing, especially fun for children

The guide gave an interesting explanation, and then I explored on my own. I loved it.

Very nice with funny guide Nico 😂

Definitely worth a visit. Also great fun for kids, with lots of interactive features.

In a word, fantastic!!!!! We thoroughly enjoyed the culinary adventure Zomerlicht and stayed overnight at the Mistklokhuisje. What an experience! The staff knows how to pamper you; what a fantastic crew. The island is also very interesting, with the fort and all its history. I'm absolutely thrilled!!!!

What an adventure it is to visit Fortress Island Pampus! The boat trip there is already a pleasant experience, offering panoramic views across the water, with the ever-impressive Muiderslot Castle in the background. The island itself is beautiful, with lovely gardens and hidden gems. The guides share fascinating stories interspersed with facts about the fortress, ensuring there's never a dull moment. During the tour, you'll get a good sense of the fortress's purpose and how the soldiers lived and worked. The fortress is largely in its original state, making it a truly impressive experience. The virtual balloon ride is an added bonus, and the restaurant is a lovely spot with beautiful views over the water, honest, healthy, and delicious food, much of it from their own vegetable garden. It's also very affordable, very suitable for children, has a shop with fun products, games, and souvenirs, and has exceptionally friendly staff. Fortress Island Pampus is a fantastic experience, and I personally enjoyed it immensely. Highly recommended!

Super fun adventure! An overnight stay included, a real experience.

A unique experience to see this island, or rather, the fjord. During the tour, we heard a wonderful historical account.

Went around with the guide, bigger than you expect, the balloon flight was also very nice

Very nice place to visit,a part of history !

Visited in the evening during Summer Light. Highly recommended!

Nice ferry crossing and interesting island because of its history.

Take a short boat trip from Muiden to this surprisingly hidden piece of heritage! A great day trip, with a knowledgeable and funny guide. Enjoy a delicious meal in and around the restaurant or get some fresh air at the fort!

Interesting place where you can also eat well, and close to Amsterdam, you can get there in no time.

A fun discovery spot for the whole family. The virtual balloon ride was a fantastic experience. The audio tour was super helpful. It really gives you a complete slice of history.

very interesting to see and with a guide also fun to do you can also eat very tasty food there

Great day, enthusiastic guide, lots to do. Some information wasn't entirely accurate (like about the hot air balloon), but that wasn't a big deal. We really enjoyed it, and it was fun for a few hours of entertainment. The ferry service was very easy, clear, and fast. The staff were very friendly, and the food was delicious. Definitely recommended!

A fantastic day out! You can sail to the island in about 20 minutes for €20 per person, and that includes a very interesting tour of the fort. The friendly volunteers are very enthusiastic. You can enjoy a delicious lunch on the island. It was quiet on a weekday during the holidays. Be sure to dress warmly, as it can get quite windy.

special place with history and excellent food and drinks

Beautiful weather, interesting tour, and the virtual hot air balloon ride was also worthwhile. There was also a tour outside past the vegetable garden. And, inevitably, two boat trips. Totally enjoyable!

Nice day out with lots of information about the fort, which was never used in wartime

An impressive building with a lot of history.

Beautiful day trip. Enjoyed wandering around. Gained a lot of insight into the island's self-sufficient energy supply, which doesn't use fossil fuels. Got some great ideas.

We had a wonderful day at Pampus Island. We arrived by bus and got off at Muiden P+R. You can take bus 110 to the center of Muiden, but we decided to walk: exactly 30 minutes. We received a friendly welcome on the ferry and enjoyed a comfortable seat on the deck (in bad weather, there's also a covered seating area). We enjoyed a glass of wine on the island and then took the guided tour. Very interesting. After the tour and the "hot air balloon experience" (you have to register via a QR code), we settled back into the pavilion for more wine and a rye bun with aged cheese. Delicious! Friendly service and a beautiful view over the IJmeer, with the skylines of Amsterdam and Almere Poort. It's a generally quiet spot with a good vibe. Douze points! Or 5 stars.

Yesterday I went to Forteiland Pampus with SET reizen. It was worth it. Beautiful view and nice weather. ☀️. Greetings from Mieke Cabaret from Ridderkerk

Amazing place to spend easily 2 hours with kids! Travelling by boat is also nice experience (both in and out in case of good weather). The hot air balloon room was really something else. Definitely worth visiting!!!

Super fun! On to the next fort. Want to admire them all

Great fun place to imagine yourself in a holiday mood_another world.

Nice place, had a nice day. Nature, history and water... wonderful.

Great experience to experience the history of this fortress island. Beautiful 3d presentations and the virtual balloon flight. Recommended.

The island is beautiful, and there's so much to discover. We were disappointed that we weren't told where to get the audio guide. Or rather, we went to the café where it's available, but didn't get one. As a result, we missed a lot of facts. Even though we speak English, it made reading the information less enjoyable, as it was much more tiring in another language. We also couldn't understand the little game that required a key.

I had never been there, what an experience! The tour guide was fantastic, the story good.

A nice island that you can reach by ferry, which you have to book in advance. It is really worth it! Even in the rain it is good to do, because the fort is largely covered.

A special historical place that you really want to visit at least once. It is nice to see how this fort was saved from decay and is lovingly shown to visitors by a group of volunteers. It is nice that from Pampus you have a completely different view of the surroundings: Amsterdam, Almere, Muiden, the Hollandse Brug: you see everything from a different perspective. Incidentally, it is only a short ferry ride from Muiden!

Fun to go there once with the kids. We did the black-light treasure hunt which was very fun. Furthermore, there is a relaxed atmosphere on the island and the employees are very friendly. I advise to take the first boat, especially if the weather is nice. The ones from the middle of the day fill up quickly. Then you can also go back with a quiet boat at the beginning of the afternoon.

Fun for kids and interesting facts.... catering was disappointing. Quality and price ratio not in proportion

What a surprising afternoon. We had a nice boat trip to the island. Friendly welcome, every hour an interesting, free, tour by an enthusiastic volunteer. Then to the balloon movie as a conclusion.

Nice day out by boat from Amsterdam, nice to blow away the cobwebs. On the island a museum with how the island was used, especially in the 19th and 20th century.

The fortress island offers a glimpse into engineering ideas from over 100 years ago. A free guided tour is recommended.

For decades a defense of Amsterdam in the Dutch Waterline. Now run by a nice couple of people concerned with the environment and good/different food. Entire tour developed for interested parties and fantastic day filling with dinner as a highlight.

Beautiful island to visit by boat. The number of moorings is very limited, so you have to be a bit lucky to find a mooring at the jetty. If you do find one, it is a pity that you are sent away with your boat at 17:00 when the island closes.

Nice, but "free" entrance with a museum card and then having to pay 10 euros per person for a boat trip is a bit too much for me.

Poor accessibility and few parking spaces. And there used to be one car, but it was towed away. Nice fort guard, but strict. If you do manage to get there, the chef will prepare a tasty meal for you. Also a great place to do a lap. Sometimes a bit busy.

Fort Island Pampus is more than worth a visit. It is an impressive history that was created by the Defence Line of Amsterdam. A ferry from Muiden takes you to Fort Island 4 times a day. What is definitely recommended is the guidance of a guide. He tells in his own way about the ins and outs of this fort. Pampus is self-sufficient, wind and solar energy. You will also find a management building with a vegetable garden. On the island, at the harbour, is the restaurant. There you can eat and drink something as well as buy souvenirs. In short, there is something for everyone because the little visitors have also been thought of.

Very fun to do with the children. Very interesting. Nice to go by boat from Muiden. Restaurant friendly but not my style of food. Very alternative

Very nice trip. It is a beautiful experience for us adults and the black light tour was also great fun for our daughters aged 4 and 9. Booked a time slot in advance online, very easy! From Muiden you take the ferry. Also a nice street with cafes. From there you get on and on the deck you can look around at the former Zuiderzee. The most beautiful eye-catcher is Muiderslot Castle and the sea trip is also recommended. The treasure hunt was challenging, easy to do, and searching for the letters with the black light. Ultimately, the kids get a nice surprise to take home as a souvenir of the sustainable, energy self-sufficient island!

Went at Easter was very nice. Especially for the children. Additional Easter activities.

Take the boat to Pampus and have a nice dinner, a nice destination.

i love forts in general, so this is up my alley. a bit pricey though. maybe make the ferry cheaper. and no fridge magnet souvenirs in the gift shop.

Old defensive fort of Amsterdam on an artificial island in what used to be the Zuiderzee, where seagoing vessels could still sail. Beautiful fort, although heavily damaged, but they are working on renovating it. You reach the island by ferry from the city of Muiden, but you can also sail there yourself. We took a tour and learned a lot about the layout and parts of the fort and its history. Very interesting. Apparently you can also spend the night there in the summer, but this is so popular that it was sold out at the beginning of the year

I couldn't visit it because it was winter closed. (In their web site it was stated... My foult)

Worth it! You book the ticket online. You can go with your boat or take the ferry you can book while booking your entrance tickets, and check the times. Once there, there is a restaurant and bathrooms and the Fort. You freely enter and visit, Everything is well signposted and explained in English and Dutch. However, some audios are only in Dutch and some free guides in some locations in the fort do only in Dutch.

Fictional balloon flight and fascinating tour with a guide

Very interesting, educational and unique!

Very informative and interactive presentation of the functioning of the Defense Line of Amsterdam.

Nicely set up, also fun for children

Our favorite spot on the water. The location continues to fascinate and the catering industry is now at an excellent level. The crew is great and works hard to make the experience here unforgettable.

It is not child friendly nor suitable for disabled people (no disabled parking on the island). The grounds around the fort are broken, weathered and poorly maintained. The power in the fort also sometimes goes out, so you can't see your hand, which is a shame. Good 4G connection. That is the only plus point, together with the benches on the island, which were above expectations. All in all, not recommended and certainly not for young children or people with mobility problems. Waste of time and money! Power goes out!

Nice place for a day trip. Reasonable restoration, nice view. Many activities, also for children. Is constantly being expanded. Guided tour of the fortress. Accessible by (paid) ferry or private boat.

Visited Pampers during Night of the Night

Had a great tour! The children hung on the guide's lips...

Highly recommended. Don't forget the hot air balloon. Very nicely done.

5 stars for the captain who can do everything ;)

Great to learn something about history again! It's also fantastic how they do their best to make it attractive for children by linking a treasure hunt and games. Do you decide to go? You should definitely not miss the dark corridors!

Really, really boring. The fort itself has been virtually dismantled over the years, you walk through damp, dirty areas, spiders everywhere. If you read a book or site about this, you will learn more than enough.

Beautiful historical place. Good and fun guide.

Nice day out...great tour/game led by Flip...what fun that man can bring

Fun island to visit. We visited from Naarderbos on paddle boards

Cool place. Strongly not recommended if you have a phobia of spiders

It remains fun to sail around it or visit it. We had a beautiful day for it

Great fort and the guided tour is amazing. The escape room your is really fun and ingenious!

It was fantastic, very educational

We took the boat to Pampus and enjoyed the crossing in the sun. Once we arrived at Pampus, we first enjoyed a delicious lunch and then visited the fort, super cool and also very interactive, the hot air balloon ride in the fort is highly recommended! Had a great day

Had a nice day here! Made possible by Nh1816.

Very nice to have seen it. Sad (shame) all that money for 1 family!

Delicious food, fun team building

This is a great outing for both adults and children. The boat trip along the Muiderslot is also recommended, but you have to get on in Muiden. The weather and wind were great that day.

Pampus is fun to visit! The story about the position of Amsterdam and the role of Pampus is more than worth it. The boat trip to Pampus completes the visit to Pampus. You can enjoy delicious food in the restaurant, everything local.

Nice to have been once. Had a nice clear tour! Boat there and back also fine.

Was there once more than 30 years ago. Now it is a real tourist attraction

By boat from Marina Muiderzand to Pampus. Super fun outing, highly recommended.

Island full of fascinating history, but also ready for the future and already completely self-sufficient in the field of energy and water. We spent a wonderful afternoon and evening there, with an excellent buffet with plenty of vegetarian options of very good quality.

Was here as part of a multi-day day trip in the area. The crossing to Pampus vv is arranged in about 25 minutes with a simple, efficient, fast boat! Took a tour of the interior of the fort with a very knowledgeable guide. Very special and really, really a reason to do that when you are there. You can then see and experience everything in the fort on your own. A 'walk' outside the fort around and on top of the fort with the domes completes your experience. The 'Pavilion' is of course prominently present for information, souvenirs, terrace, food, drinks, etc. etc. Neat, neat, clean. All menus are freshly prepared on site. System..order..collect! Fine! Everything only with debit card payment. In short...if you 'do' everything, see everything, etc...definitely worth a visit. The island also has all kinds of 'possibilities' such as receptions, weddings, meetings, overnight stays, tents along the water, etc. etc. In short, I had a pleasant and educational day there. It must be said that for a pleasant experience the weather gods must be kind to you...! Anyway, still a recommendation! Ed Jansen

Had a nice day and it's bigger than you think. They also have ghosts there.

Beautiful museum, fun for children!

Fun, educational attraction for young and old. (But not if you have difficulty walking, because there are a lot of steps and steps).

The boat trip was really nice. You could discover a lot...