DAF was an acronym for Van Doorne's Aanhangwagen Fabriek, originally specializing in trailers before building trucks.
The museum houses the 'Golden DAF', a unique car commissioned for a Dutch princess but never used by the royal family.
The DAF 600, launched in 1958, was the first mass-produced car in the world to feature a continuously variable transmission (CVT) system called Variomatic.
The collection includes the original smithy workshop from 1928 where the founders started their business.
The museum displays a variety of military vehicles, including the YP-408 armored personnel carrier.
The site hosts a functional restoration workshop where volunteers maintain and repair classic DAF vehicles.
The museum displays racing trucks that competed in the Dakar Rally, showcasing the brand's heavy-duty engineering.
The facility was significantly expanded in 2005 to accommodate a larger collection of historic vehicles.
The DAF Museum in Eindhoven chronicles the evolution of Van Doorne's Aanhangwagen Fabriek from a small smithy into a major European truck manufacturer. The collection is housed in a building that incorporates the original workshop where Hub and Wim van Doorne started their business in 1928. Visitors can view a comprehensive timeline of DAF passenger cars, including the unique Variomatic transmission models. The museum features an extensive array of heavy-duty trucks, military vehicles, and experimental prototypes. Interactive exhibits include a reconstruction of a 1950s garage and an office space reflecting the company's early industrial history. The exhibition space covers multiple levels, showcasing the engineering transition from trailers to commercial vehicles. It remains one of the primary industrial history sites in the Brabant region.
The elevated platform overlooking the main hall, which provides a panoramic view of the truck collection.
Allocate time to watch the short historical films shown in the auditorium to better understand the industrial context.
Check the museum's website for 'demo days' when select historical trucks are taken out of the building.
Visit the small internal museum café, which offers a view into the collection area.
Rushing through the ground floor displays, as the most significant industrial history artifacts are located in the older workshop sections.
Closed on Mondays.
No touching the exhibits unless explicitly marked; standard museum conduct applies.
