Het Arsenaal to be closed after September 30th 2021

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Extorior of Het Arsenaal © Dark Ride Database

Bad news for fans of pirates, aquariums and simulators: Het Arsenaal (Vlissingen, Zeeland – Netherlands) will be closing its doors after the month of September. The historical building, dating back to 1823 and serving as a ”maritime themed attraction” since 1993, will be reopened as a luxurious hotel in 2023. As explained on pzc.nl, it has been up to landlord A.M.P. van Velzen to run the attraction since the previous operator was not able to arrange a successor in 2017. Now it turns out, this wasn’t meant to last.

Het Arsenaal is home to a large scale walkthrough themed to pirates, an aquarium with sharks and rays as well as other animals. There is also a 65 meter high observation tower with a view over the North Sea, a show featuring miniature ships at war and of course the Scheepssimulator. Because of the expenses involved with running and up-keeping the, according to Van Velzen, dated attractions, it was decided to head in a new direction. September 30th 2021 will be the final day guests can experience Het Arsenaal after which it will close and plans are to start with the conversion early next year.

It seems like all of the aforementioned rides and aspects will have to be removed to make room for the hotel, although the fate of the observation tower has not been decided on yet. Next to Het Arsenaal is also an arcade and theater, for which the future is also unclear.

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The Scheepssimulator © Dark Ride Database