After seventy years, Efteling is almost a work of art in itself. You would like to pick it up and put it in a museum. Of course that is not possible, but soon there will be hundreds of Efteling objects on display in the Noordbrabants Museum in Den Bosch. “It is the first time that you can see original Efteling items outside the park,” says Efteling designer Sander de Bruijn.
From Hollebolle Gijs and Pardoes to the Fairytale Tree and Langnek. The museum wants to show with hundreds of different objects how a small fairytale forest grew into one of the best known and most magical theme parks in 70 years. Just some of the objects that you can see there later.
The opening poster
It all started with the drawings of the creator of the Fairytale Forest Anton Pieck and inventor Peter Reijnders. “In the museum there will soon be a sketch that Pieck made for the opening poster of the Fairytale Forest in 1952,” says Joris Westerink of the museum.
“But what many people don’t know is that the park is actually even older. The Efteling once started as a walking and sports park, where visitors could relax.”
The musical mushroom
To tell the story of Efteling’s history, curator Westerink was looking for objects that best illustrate this.
“Here’s one,” says Westerink, pointing to the iconic musical mushroom. “I asked about the very first original mushroom from the 1950s. Then they looked at me a bit strange, because they really aren’t there anymore.”
“Unfortunately, they could not be preserved because they needed to be replaced. I had to get used to that a bit at the start of my search for special items. That the first original objects are often no longer there.”
Snow White’s first mirror
What is still original is Snow White’s mirror. “Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the most beautiful in the country”, you hear in a very quiet museum room. “Hey, that voice. And that it still does. Especially because there is a lot of technology behind it,” Westerink responds.
“This mirror hung in the Fairytale Forest from the 1960s. It’s amazing that it has been preserved so well. This definitely belongs in a museum.”
Holleball Gijs
A well-known Efteling figure such as Hollebolle Gijs cannot be missed. “He has already eaten so much paper and waste in Efteling. The exhibition is really not complete without him,” says designer De Bruijn when Holle Bolle Gijs is put in the truck.
“This design is not only humorous and attractive, but we are also doing something good with Hollebolle Gijs. He is our sustainable friend, because through him we keep the park clean for all visitors.”
Fairytale tree in miniature
The museum also shows things that non-Efteling eyes would otherwise never see. Such as a model of De Sprookjesboom, which was placed in the Fairytale Forest years later.
“This is our working material, so it has never been shown before. For visitors, such a look behind the scenes is very special. You can see how we create experiences and magic,” says De Bruijn.
All these objects together tell the story of Efteling. “At the end of the exhibition you know what makes Efteling so special and magical,” says the Efteling designer. “You will then understand why so many visitors have been coming to the amusement park in Kaatsheuvel for seventy years.”
The secret
And then, in the last room, the magic returns. “We take visitors back to the enchanting world of Efteling,” says Westerink. “How, we will keep that a secret for a while. You have to experience something so magical yourself.”
The exhibition is on view from March 4 to May 21.