About us
After Jan van Oorschot took his Ph.D. in 1974 with the thesis "Falconers in Valkenswaard and Royal Falconry since the 17th Century" the “ Foundation Museum Valkenswaard” was established in 1976. In 1980, a three-week exhibition on "Four Centuries of Falconry in Valkenswaard" was a great success.
On 25 January 1986, Mayor Bartels opens the Cultural History Museum in the former domestic science school at the Oranje Nassau Street. In May 1992 the museum moves to the building Market 17, the Gyrath building. In January 2001 the museum moves to the renovated Carolus building in the Oranje Nassaustraat. In 2004 the name of the museum is changed into “The Falconry and Cigar-making Museum". In 2006 the Cigar-making Museum is renewed, and it is opened by Mr Hans Wiegel ( a former minister of Home Affairs and former leader of the liberal party) on 24 April of that year. In June 2007 the museum is recognized as a certified museum in the Dutch Museum Register. The Falconry Museum is thoroughly renovated in 2008; the new Falconry Museum is festively opened by the Minister of Agriculture, Ms. Gerda Verburgh, on 22 January 2009. In 2010 the Falconry Museum joins the world organization of falconry, The International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey (IAF). The 25th anniversary of the museum is greatly celebrated in 2011 with a reception, the setting up of the historical trapping place on the Leenderheide, a temporary exhibition about "Tobacco Planters and coolies in Sumatra" and a theatre performance about falconry and cigar-making.
