General Visitors' Conditions

1 General stipulations and definitions

1.1 Below are stated the visitors' conditions of the Zuiderzee Museum Foundation, hereinafter called 'the Zuiderzee Museum'.

1.2 Hereinafter 'the Museum complex' is understood to mean the whole of spaces (built-on or vacant) that falls within the possession of legal rights c.q. administrative powers of the Zuiderzee Museum, inclusive of but not limited to, the Museum grounds, exhibition rooms, auditoriums and meeting rooms, restaurants, coffee rooms, depot and/or annexes c.q. auxiliary branches, terrace and other outdoor space(s), inclusive of the Outdoor Museum and the boats used to make tours c.q. round trips in and from the Museum grounds.

1.3 Hereinafter 'visitor' is understood to mean any person who enters the Museum complex in whatever manner, directly or indirectly and whether or not as a member of a school party or any other group or otherwise, by virtue of an agreement entered into with the Zuiderzee Museum and during regular opening hours, with a view to visiting the Museum in the broadest possible sense, to enter its grounds, to visit an exhibition or attend an activity inclusive of but not limited to the taking part in round trips organized by the Museum.

1.4 These visitors' conditions form part of any agreement between the Zuiderzee Museum and the visitor. The visitors' conditions apply for any person entering the Museum complex without having entered into an agreement with the Zuiderzee Museum, directly or indirectly.

2 Ticket sales, special offers and prices

2.1 Any prices quoted by the Zuiderzee Museum as well as information or any other details supplied by the Museum are without engagement. The visitor is obliged to show his/her admission ticket to the Museum complex at any time on being asked by staff of the Zuiderzee Museum.

2.2 The visitor is not entitled to a refund of the price of the admission ticket or any other form of damages in case of theft or loss of same, or if the visitor does not use the admission ticket or does not use same in time after buying it, or if its period of validity has expired. In addition, once an admission ticket has been bought it cannot be exchanged. The Zuiderzee Museum exclusively refunds the admission price paid by the visitor if he/she has to leave the Museum complex prematurely due to a calamity and if it is not a question of force majeure.

2.3 The Zuiderzee Museum can deny the visitor admission to the Museum complex if it turns out that the admission ticket or voucher has not been sold by or through the Zuiderzee Museum or an agency, body or authority empowered by the Zuiderzee Museum to do so, if it is forged or has been obtained unlawfully in any way whatsoever.

3 Visit to the Museum complex

3.1 The visitor's presence in the Museum complex is entirely at his/her own account and risk. During his/her visit to the Museum complex, the visitor is expected to observe the house rules of the Zuiderzee Museum and to behave well towards the Museum staff and other visitors, and adopt a respectful attitude towards the Museum collection. The visitor is obliged at all times to comply with directions and instructions of the Zuiderzee Museum without delay, as given by attendants and security staff, for exam pie, or by the captains and staff of the round-trip boats. If, to the judgement of the Zuiderzee Museum, the visitor acts contrary to the house rules, universally accepted social conventions, or directions or instructions given by the Museum staff in any way or form whatsoever, same visitor can be denied his/her continued presence in the Museum complex inclusive of the round-trip boats, without being entitled to a refund of the admission price or any other damages.

3.2 Parents or other persons responsible for the guidance of minors are expected to ensure that objects and materials exhibited in the Museum complex are not touched or handled by the children under their charge. Parents or other persons responsible for the guidance of minors are liable for any consequences of the behaviour and actions of the children under their charge, at a 11 ti mes. Teachers and other persons supervising parties are expected to ensure that objects and materials exhibited in the Museum complex are not touched or handled by members of the party they are in charge of. Teachers and/or the schools employing them, as well as any other persons responsible for the guidance of their pupils, are liable for any consequences of the behaviour and actions of the pupils and/or members of the party under their charge, at all times. Parents or other persons in charge of minors and/or teachers and other persons in charge of parties are responsible for the safety of the children and/or members of the party they have brought for a visit to the Museum.

3.3 In the Museum complex, the visitor is not allowed (amongst other things):
a) to sell or supply free of charge goods of whatever nature to third parties;
b) to block the passage to other visitors deliberately and protractedly, or to obstruct the view of the objects exhibited protractedly;
c) to hinder other visitors, for example by using mobile phones, portable music players of whatever nature, or other forms of noise nuisance;
d) to bring pets or other animals with the exception of guide dogs;
e) to smoke in any room of the Museum complex, unless in dedicated and especially indicated spaces;
f) to bring food, refreshments, or narcotic drugs of any nature;
g) to bring objects or materials considered dangerous by the Zuiderzee Museum;
h) to bring prams and buggies unless by permission of the Zuiderzee Museum.

3.4 The Zuiderzee Museum can demand to inspect (hand)luggage brought by the visitor. In addition, the visitor can be asked at any time to consent to a body search for security reasons, when entering or leaving the Museum complex. The Zuiderzee Museum reserves the right to deny a visitor his/her continued presence in the Museum complex if the visitor does not render assistance to this security investigation which may include a body search. In that case the visitor cannot lay claim to any refund of the admission price or any other damages whatsoever.

3.5 The visitor is not allowed to make shots and/or recordings in the form of photograph, video or film or have these made, using lamps, flash equipment. tripods or any other stands, without the prior permission in writing of the management of the Zuiderzee Museum. In addition it is not allowed to publish c.q. duplicate photographic, video and film material in any way and by means of any medium whatsoever, e.g., electronic media, without the prior permission of the management of the Zuiderzee Museum. The Zuiderzee Museum can at all times demand surrender of equipment that can be used to make photographs, videos and films and hold it in keeping for the duration of the visitor's stay. If the visitor refuses to surrender same equipment. the Zuiderzee Museum can deny the visitor his/her continued presence in the Museum complex without his/her being entitled to a refund of the admission price or any damages whatsoever.

3.6 If the Zuiderzee Museum wishes to make photographs and/or film shots of the Museum complex for reasons of publicity and if visitors can be recognized or appear prominently in those pictures, the Museum will make every effort, if and insofar as the legal rules give cause to do so, to trace the portrayed persons in order to learn from them whether or not they object to the above use. If such a complaint proves to be correct and is a reason to object in court, the Zuiderzee Museum will remove the relevant photographs and/or film material, with no obligation on the part of the Museum to pay damages of whatever kind.

3.7 In case of theft, vandalism or harassment caused by the visitor, inclusive of but not limited to behaviour as mentioned in section 3.3, the Zuiderzee Museum will make the visitor in question liable for the damage and notify the police for prosecution by the judicial authorities. In addition, the Zuiderzee Museum can deny admission to the Museum complex for a period of time to be determined by same to the visitor who is certain to have wilfully damaged one or more objects or to have behaved contrary to social conventions, the house rules and/or these visitors' conditions to an extreme degree, to the judgement of the Zuiderzee Museum. The Zuiderzee Museum reserves the
right to pass on the description of a visitor who has damaged an object in the Zuiderzee Museum to other museums and/or the police or judicial authorities. By entering the Museum complex, the visitor declares himself/herself in agreement with the possibility to use and process his/her personal particulars to that end.

3.8 If the visitor ca uses damage to an object of the Zu ide rzee Museum, th is Museum reserves the right to recover all costs of restoration and repair from same visitor, without prejudice to the right of the Zuiderzee Museum to claim full damages.

3.9 If damage of whatever nature is caused by (an) underage visitor(s) c.q. (a) member(s) of a group of visitors, the relevant visitor(s) as well as the parents, the person(s) supervising said visitor(s) or group of visitors and/or the organization that has booked a group visit are severally I ia b le for the damage caused by the underage visitor(s) and/or member(s) of the party and severally obliged to pay damages to the Zuiderzee Museum.

4 Complaints

4.1 Complaints pertaining to the visitors' agreement must be lodged in writing with the Zuiderzee Museum, within 8 days after the day of the visit. Complaints lodged after this period of time are not taken up by the Zuiderzee Museum. The Zuiderzee Museum investigates the complaint, which is in principle replied to within 30 after receipt. In case the inquiry has not been concluded within this period of time, this is communicated to the complainant stating the probable moment it will be the case.

4.2 The Zuiderzee Museum cannot deal with complaints pertaining to the following (categories of) circumstances:
a) complaints pertaining to objects from the permanent collection of the Zuiderzee Museum not being exhibited;
b) complaints pertaining to part of the Museum complex being temporarily closed, such as a partial closure due to fitting out or dismantling exhibitions etc.;
c) complaints and circumstances pertaining to a nuisance or inconvenience caused in one way or another by other visitors, such as noise nuisance, i na ppro priate behaviour, theft, molestation etc.
d) complaints and circumstances pertaining to a nuisance or inconvenience caused by maintenance work or other building activities such as alterations or renovations, or (re)furnishing spaces in the Museum complex etc.;
e) complaints and circumstances pertaining to a nuisance or inconvenience caused by inadequate functioning of facilities in the Museum complex.

5 Liability of the Zuiderzee Museum

5.1 The visitor's stay in the Museum complex is at the visitor's own account and risk. The Zuiderzee Museum aims to collect and preserve a representative selection of the (material) manifestations of the history of the Zuiderzee region, and to interest the broadest possible public in and to provide an in sight into the development of that history, also by means of a visual presentation. First and foremost this is expressed by the fact that water plays a major role in realizing that object. For example, an authentic Zuiderzee harbour is part of the exhibition on a permanent basis and the visitor is offered the opportunity to enter the Zuiderzee Museum by taking a ferry across. Further this aim becomes manifest in the fact that in the Museum Park a faithful representation is being given of what a village in the Zuiderzee region looked like in the early years of the last century. This has been achieved by dismantling complete buildings, streets and even a church, one stone after the other, and rebuilding them in the Museum complex in the original state. This characteristic approach makes it impossible to place a warning sign at all locations where there is water or a brick road, or where accidents may happen or injuries may be sustained for whatever reason. Therefore we expect the visitor, and in the case of small children, their parents and/or other persons in charge of them, to display an adequate degree of alertness. Likewise, this applies in the case of activities offered by the Zuiderzee Museum, such as experiencing and practising traditional crafts such as rope making, sail making, basket weaving, barrel making (the work of a 'cooper'), net-mending and tanning, as wel I as learning and practising fishing techniques. Obviously such activities are supervised by Museum staff, but that does not alter the fact that they entail risks, albeit calculable ones, that the visitor or supervising person shou Id be aware of when deciding to take part in such an activity and that he/she must be prepared to accept.

5.2 If, during his stay in the Museum complex, the visitor sustains physical injury or worse through a fall, a thrust, push or any other impact or a fall into the water, or if some form of damage is caused to objects or if objects are lost, the Zuiderzee Museum rejects liability for all these occurrences, unless the Museum - considering the above - can be held liable for the damage in question, and if and insofar as the Museum is insured against same events, c.q. should in all fairness have taken out an insurance. In such a case, the upper limit of the liability for damage is fixed to the amount that the insurer will pay in the relevant case.

5.3 If, in spite of the above exoneration, the Zuiderzee Museum should prove liable for damage, while no insurance cover is applicable in the relevant situation, in this case and in all other cases the Museum's liability will at all times be limited to direct and/or material damage to an amount of no more than€ 250,000.00 and exclusively in the case of physical injury and/or decease to an amount no higher than€ 250,000.00.

5.4 Liability of the Zuiderzee Museum for indirect damage, inclusive of consequential loss, lost profit or income, savings missed etc., is rejected at all times.

5.5 Amongst other things, the liability of the Zuiderzee Museum is rejected in the case of:
a) damage caused by actions of third parties (visitors);
b) damage caused through one's own fault, e.g., through not observing instructions of staff of the Zuiderzee Museum (in time).

5.6 The Zuiderzee Museum is never liable for damage caused to vehicles parked in the car park of same Museum, unless this damage has been caused by (staff of) the Museum itself and the Zuiderzee Museum c.q. its staff member(s) is/are to blame for it.

5.7 If the Zuiderzee Museum takes receipt of goods or if goods are deposited, stored and/or left behind in whatever way, wherever and by whoever without the Zuiderzee Museum requiring any form of compensation in this context, the Zuiderzee Museum is never liable for damage to or in connection with goods, caused in any way whatsoever.

5.8 The exclusions of liability and/or limitations of liability do not apply if the damage is caused deliberately or through conscious recklessness on the part of the Zuiderzee Museum or its management and this damage can also be imputed to and blamed on same.

5.9 The Zuiderzee Museum is never liable for damage caused by force majeure on the part of the Zuiderzee Museum. Force majeure is also understood to mean any circumstance or condition beyond the control of the Zuiderzee Museum that prevents admission to the Museum complex and exhibitions, and/or observance of the agreement, temporarily and/or permanently, insofar as not yet included, riots and disturbances, actions on the part of police or fire brigade, strikes, weather
conditions, fire, electricity failure or serious breakdowns of any other kind and/or a breakdown of public transport for whatever reason.

6 Lost and found

6.1 Objects found in the Museum complex by the visitor can be handed in at the cash desk or the cloakroom.

6.2 If the owner or the person/party entitled should report in order to claim the found object, it is up to him/her to collect the article(s) in question c.q. to have it/them sent to him/her COD. The owner or person/party entitled must furnish sufficient proof of identity in either case.

7 Waterworks

7.1 Visitors enter Waterworks and make use of the available attractions and installations entirely at their own risk and on their own accountability. The Zuiderzee Museum accepts no liability for damage and/or harm to visitors or their goods, unless the damage and/or harm has been caused by deliberate recklessness or negligence on the part of employees of the Zu iderzee Museum and/or persons who are working under the authority of the Zuiderzee Museum. Visitors must follow the instructions or indications conveyed to them by personnel and signs. Visitors who ignore such instructions may be prevented from using the facilities, without any possibility of receiving a refund. This also applies to visitors who attempt to jump queues. Visitors are personally responsible and accountable for any damage and/or harm arising from misbehaviour and/or the disregard of instructions provided by our members of staff.

7.2 The Zuiderzee Museum does not provide active supervision (such as a bath superintendant for example).

7.3 The management is entitled to close an attraction or a section of the Museum at its own discretion, and to keep closed, without visitors having any right of refund (of a part of the price) of the admission fee and/or other form of compensation.

7.4 Physical or verbal violence, or other undesired behaviour toward other visitors and/or our members of staff will not be tolerated. People who behave in this way will be immediately expelled from the Museum without any right to a refund (of a part) of the admission fee and/or other form of compensation. If required, the police may be called in.

7.5 Disruption and/or destruction, or any other kind of undesirable conduct toward other visitor or our members of staff, or with regard to the property of visitors to the Zuiderzee Museum, will not be tolerated. People who behave in this way will be immediately expelled from the Museum without any right to a refund (of a part) of the admission fee and/or other form of compensation. If required, the police may be called in.

7.6 Waterworks is not a swimming location, spa or sunning lawn. Use of this kind is not permitted.

7.7 Use of Waterworks other than intended by the management is not permitted.

7.8 In the case of the area having to be evacuated, the instructions of the staff members must be immediately followed.

7.9 Swimwear, bath towels, topless sunbathing, etc. are not permitted.

7.10 The use of sound equipment is not permitted.

7.11 The use of visitors' own games, playthings or vehicles, other than those provided by the Zuiderzee Museum in Waterworks, is not permitted.

7.12 Children (8 years old and younger) may only visit Waterworks under the supervision of an adult (someone 18 years old or older).

7.13 Those smaller than 1.20m must be accompanied by someone who is 18 years old or older and can also swim.

7.14 To be allowed to use Waterworks, children must have a swimming certificate. Children who do not have a swimming certificate may only make use of Waterworks under the supervision of someone who is 18 years old or older and can also swim.

7.15 Every visitor must behave in such a way that the order, safety and tranquillity of the area are ensured.

7.16 The opening of Waterworks is announced by coloured flags near the information boards.
Green flag - fully accessible.
Orange flag - water, boats and islands are not accessible.
Red flag - Waterworks fully inaccessible.

7.17 Health - In cases of pregnancy, physical complaints, back and neck problems, limited mobility and heart conditions, we advise you not to make use of Waterworks. Health is of paramount importance.

7.18 The safety instructions that are conveyed by signs, flyers or advice from our staff must be followed wholly and immediately.

7.19 Visitors may only use the paths, squares and zones designated for such use.

7.20 It is not permitted to enter Waterworks from the Ijsselmeer. To enter Waterworks, it is necessary to have an admission ticket to the Zuiderzee Museum.

8 Applicability of other conditions

8.1 The applicability of these visitors' conditions is without prejudice to any applicability of other (contractual) conditions and/or stipulations of the Zu id erzee Museum.

9 Applicable law and choice of court

9.1 Dutch law is applicable to the agreement(s) with the Zuiderzee Museum and the visitors' conditions.

9.2 Any disputes arising from the visitors' agreement between the visitor and the Zuiderzee Museum are submitted for adjudication exclusively to the competent court in Alkmaar.

10 Other stipulatios

10.1 The Zuiderzee Museum reserves the right to alter these visitors' conditions.

10.2 Should it prove to be beyond question that one of the stipulations mentioned above is void, this voidness in no way affects the validity of the other stipulations mentioned in these visitors' conditions.

10.3 These visitors' conditions have been settled by the management of the Zuiderzee Museum and are filed and registered with the Chamber of Commerce for North West Holland in Alkmaar.

Zuiderzeemuseum
info@zuiderzeemuseum.nl
+31 (0)228 351 111