The Nationaal Onderduikmuseum (National Underground Museum) (formerly Markt 12 - Euregional Museum for Freedom) in Aalten is a museum dedicated to hiding and resistance during World War II. The museum explores daily life during the Second World War and the personal choices people had to make at that time. It places particular emphasis on going into hiding during the occupation period, partly because Aalten provided shelter to a relatively large number of people in hiding during the occupation.
The National Underground Museum aims to encourage visitors, both young and old, to reflect on and contemplate issues such as racism, fascism, and discrimination in the past, present, and possibly the future. Due to its location near the border, the museum also strives to promote cross-border connections between Germans and Dutch people by delving into each other's history during the 1940s, a period that gave rise to numerous prejudices. To foster these interactions, the museum encourages meetings between German and Dutch students through bilingual presentations and teaching materials.
The collection consists of an illegal printing press, hiding places, a shelter, weapons, personal documents, uniforms, propaganda materials, documents, photos, and other items that provide an impression of daily life and the (often difficult) choices people had to make during that time. Recording testimonies and telling personal stories are central to the museum's mission.
The museum offers temporary exhibitions that align with its themes. There are also scavenger hunts available for children. In addition to teaching materials for students, there are guided tours and routes available by appointment.
