Crossing the River Waal
From tree trunk to bridge
The river Waal was once a small tributary to the Rhine and has since grown into the widest river in the Netherlands. Over time, the course of the river changed, which in turn necessitated finding new ways to cross it. How did people cross it before there were bridges?
The active hands-on exhibition De Waal Over (Crossing the River Waal) shows you how this was achieved on a journey through time. By crossing the river in different ways yourself, you learn about the inventive solutions devised over the centuries for getting to the other side, and the consequences these crossings had for Nijmegen.
Making your crossing
The visitor is challenged to make the crossing in four hands-on exhibits. Experience the current by attempting to cross the river in a tree-trunk canoe, build a pontoon, haul the anchor from the chain ferry and feel the stability of the arched bridge
Illuminating animations
A projected animation is shown at each exhibit, which explains the technology behind the each method of crossing the river.
“Synergique has once again created an extraordinary hands-on and body-on presentation, allowing visitors to experience how people have crossed the Waal through the centuries. The atmospheric and captivating animations and panels provide additional information, serving both young and old.”
Odette Straten - Head of Public and Presentation, de Bastei
A meandering river
A large meandering river on the floor flows from the past to the present, and shows how it is continuously growing in size.
The Ever-Changing Waal
Extensive research into the course of the Waal over the centuries is translated into insightful animated films, in which the changing flow of the river is visualised for each period.
