Van Mossel Museum in Waalwijk – hidden treasures – Auto Motor Klassiek

In January an unexpected adventure unfolded for Frank de Laat from Tilburg. Invited by a friend, he stepped into his Citroën CX and drove to Waalwijk, not to a showroom, but to a treasure trove of automotive history: the Van Mossel Museum. Behind the sleek facade of the head office, an intimate world unfolded full of shiny chrome, warm leather upholstery and the soft hum of history.

(Photos: Frank de Laat)

A journey of discovery behind closed doors

Upon entering, the first thing that strikes you is the light that falls through the high windows in the atrium hall, where cars almost float on platforms. Frank immediately experienced the peace: no meandering crowds, but a select group that focuses on the showpieces with full attention. The arrangement per brand – from Volkswagen and Skoda to Renault and Mercedes – gives a feeling of a discovered time capsule, in which each car whispers a personal story.

“In that hall were 72 vintage cars, from a Skoda 1000MB to a Mercedes Gullwing. It was like walking through the atmospheric chapters of automotive history,” Frank describes.

Cars with character

Each racing car tells its own story. For example, the Mercedes‑Benz 300 SL Gullwing not only refers to a technical feat from 1954, but also to the courageous entrepreneurial spirit that resonated in racing talents such as Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio. The glass doors of the Citroën SM bring to life the heyday of French design, while the Renault Alpine A110, famous on the rally circuit, brings back the adrenaline of the 60s. Behind every bonnet lies a piece of living technology and passion.

The story of Van Mossel

What makes the museum extra special is the mix of recognizable classics and cars with an entrepreneurial past. Van Mossel aims to have at least two models per brand in-house, so that visitors can admire both the icons and the daily workhorses of yesteryear. This ambition is expressed in the timeline wall that guides visitors through the development of Van Mossel itself: from the first Volkswagen dealership to the current position as a full-service automotive group.

Intimate tours

The museum is by appointment only to visit, on Fridays between 12:00 and 16:00 and Saturdays from 13:00 to 17:00. A maximum of 15 people can participate per session, which keeps the atmosphere small-scale and personal. The tour guides are often employees or experts from Van Mossel, who enthusiastically tell about maintenance stories, restoration challenges and special events around the cars. Frank calls their stories “just an extra cylinder in the engine of your experience”.

Official stamp of quality

On April 10, 2024, the Van Mossel Museum received the BOVAG-Recognized Museum-quality mark, a recognition for museums that are committed to the preservation, presentation and education of mobile heritage. The award ceremony took place at a meeting of BOVAG honorary members, where general manager Eric Berkhof received the shield. Visitors can rest assured that every engine, every bodywork and every work of art is treated with care and expertise.

An experience to cherish

What remains after a visit is the silence between all that shiny steel and the stories that echo through the halls like engine sounds. Whether you come purely for the technology, seek nostalgia or are amazed by the design highlights of the past: in Waalwijk you will find all facets.

For those who are curious, one detour is enough. Reservations can be made via the website or by email, after which you and a group of fellow passengers will go on a journey of discovery through the Netherlands' hidden automobile museum.

Practical