A museum that switches itself on
The unstaffed museum's doors are open during the day. On entering, the lights come on automatically and Mr Broersma welcomes you through a talking post, explaining why the building is called a braakhok. A three-minute introductory film shows how flax is processed into linen. Captions beside antique tools in display cases provide more information, and films show the old machines at work.
Work for people struggling to make ends meet
Flax was grown in north-eastern Friesland until around 1960. People who struggled to make ends meet worked in the flax-breaking shed, a form of social employment. The Stichting Braakhok foundation was established in 1976 and opened the museum two years later to show the hard labour involved in turning flax into unspun linen. Children's author Nynke van Hichtum describes the difficulty of the work in the museum. The museum was renewed in 2018.
The magical flax flower
The flax flower, also described as magical, receives special attention. A children's book, Het meisje en de magische vlasbloem, was written about it as part of an educational project.