“It also smokes and smells of sulfur! Ooh delicious!”, visitors exult when firing a capping pistol from the past. The guided tours at the Nostalgic Children’s and Dolls Carriage Museum in Uffelte are still in full swing. Still, because soon the door will close because too few tickets are sold to pay the rent.
“If there are no visitors, no money comes in and everything has to be done from your own budget,” says owner Marianne Elsinga. “Everything is now much more expensive and it can no longer be used. The greenhouse is empty.” In recent years, Elsinga has experienced a lot as a museum owner. The idea arose in her garage because she wanted to start something for herself after a tough period of illness. That’s why she went wild with her hobby: collecting nostalgic children’s items. She turned it into a museum.
After a few relocations, Elsinga settled in Uffelte last year, where Welzijn MensenWerk had space to spare in community center De Vlasbarg’n. It stays at one year. Advertising material was still made to attract new visitors, but to no avail. “We can’t do more than deliver leaflets, a flag and social media,” says Elsinga.
No subsidy was found. Elsinga: “It is the larger museums that receive a subsidy. I grant them that too, but the small ones just have to manage it. Then you get your own budget and that is no longer possible.”
As a result, the book now appears to be closed. It is not possible that the museum will continue. “Or a miracle has to happen,” says Elsinga with a lot of emotion in her voice, before apologizing for her tears. “I built it up after my illness. It’s so beautiful, you make people happy. That also means a lot to me. Everything you have built up now goes away and that hurts.”