11 Million Cigar Bands: Crafting the Volendam Museum’s Mosaic Masterpiece
If you think mosaics are just tiles and grout, wait until you stand inside a room composed of 11 Million Cigar Bands. At the Volendam Museum, the renowned Cigar Band House turns paper scraps into breathtaking art—an immersive installation where walls, objects, and even everyday items are transformed into intricate mosaics. In this guide, you’ll discover how this extraordinary work came to be, what to look for when you visit, and how the Cigar Band House fits into Volendam’s wider story of craft, culture, and community.
What is the Cigar Band House?
The Cigar Band House is a one‑of‑a‑kind installation housed in a separate wing of the Volendam Museum. It contains meticulously crafted mosaics made from roughly 11 million cigar bands, depicting world‑famous landmarks, regional emblems, and richly detailed scenes. The artistry extends beyond the walls: a lampshade, table, plates, and bottles are also covered—everywhere you look, you see cigar bands.
Quick facts
- Medium: Millions of vintage cigar bands arranged as mosaics
- Scale: Roughly 11 million individual bands
- Setting: A dedicated wing within the Volendam Museum
- Debut at the museum: Since 1995 (renovated and installed as a unique house within the museum)
- Origins: The house dates from 1946/47; it was acquired in 1993 and integrated into a new museum wing
The making of a mosaic masterpiece
At its core, mosaic art is about building images from small, repeated elements. In the Cigar Band House, the “tiles” are paper bands—tiny, colorful fragments arranged to form coherent pictures. Achieving this at monumental scale demands patience, an eye for color and pattern, and the discipline to place thousands of pieces so they blend into a unified whole.
- Composition by color and motif: Artists often group small elements by hue, texture, and typography to create gradients, shadows, and contours.
- Precision through repetition: Millions of near‑identical units allow fine control over detail—much like pixels building a photograph.
- Material intelligence: Paper’s flexibility and variety of printed inks give creators a wide palette, enabling subtle transitions in tone and form.
This is craftsmanship as endurance: the Cigar Band House embodies the meticulous labor that turns humble materials into a work of wonder.
Iconic scenes captured in paper
Among the most striking mosaics are tributes to global landmarks and storied symbols:
- St. Peter’s Basilica (Vatican City)
- The Tower of Pisa (Italy)
- Manneken Pis (Brussels)
Beyond these, the installation features coats of arms of provinces, capitals, and other detailed scenes—a paper panorama where geography, heraldry, and imagination meet.
Why 11 million cigar bands matter
- Scale as storytelling: The sheer number—roughly 11 million—conveys the ambition and dedication behind the work. Massed repetition becomes a narrative about persistence.
- From ephemera to eternity: Cigar bands were designed to be disposable. Transforming them into lasting art preserves a slice of everyday material culture.
- Folk craft elevated: The Cigar Band House celebrates vernacular creativity—techniques and materials rooted in domestic craft traditions—now enshrined in a museum setting.
- Immersion over observation: Instead of viewing a single framed mosaic, you step into an environment. The installation surrounds you with texture, color, and pattern.
From private marvel to museum treasure: a concise timeline
- 1946/47: Original house dates from the post‑war years.
- November 2, 1989: The first pile is driven for a major museum expansion, a community effort involving public bodies, local businesses, architects, contractors, donors, and volunteers.
- March 16, 1991: The mayor of Edam‑Volendam officially opens the new Volendam Museum premises on behalf of the community.
- 1993: The Cigar Band House is offered for sale; the museum board acquires it for 60,000 guilders to preserve it for Volendam.
- 1995: The renovated Cigar Band House becomes part of the museum—installed within a new wing as a permanent highlight.
How the Cigar Band House fits the Volendam story
The Volendam Museum offers a rich portrait of the village’s life and culture, particularly from 1850 to 1950. The Cigar Band House sits alongside other compelling displays that frame Volendam’s heritage through craft, work, and community.
- Traditional costumes: Volendam’s traditional costume—especially the women’s dress—earned international renown and became a symbol of Holland. The community’s pride and relative isolation helped preserve distinctive clothing, customs, and dialect well into the 20th century.
- Maritime heritage: In the botterzaal, you’ll find the forecastle of a full‑size botter and detailed ship models, reflecting the village’s fishing traditions.
- Historic interiors and paintings: Period rooms and artworks evoke everyday life and the artists’ gaze on Volendam.
- Changing exhibitions: The museum complements its permanent collection with annual themes and special shows. Highlights include:
- Volendam, a musical journey through the century—a celebration of 100 years of musical success featuring never‑before‑seen photos, medals, and special relics.
- “Oe Vrauwe Kêike: Volendam through the eyes of women”—historic and contemporary works where the woman is the creator, not the subject.
- Programs and experiences: Film screenings about old Volendam, guided tours on request, and educational activities with primary schools. During youth week in the autumn holidays, children practice hand skills like making mosaics from cigar bands around a historical theme.
Visitor essentials: practical tips
Use these pointers to make the most of your Cigar Band House experience and broader museum visit.
- Head straight for the dedicated wing: The Cigar Band House is located in a separate museum wing—ideal if you want an immediate deep dive into the mosaic environment.
- Look for layers of detail: Step close to see how bands are grouped by color and typography; step back to watch images resolve into landmarks and coats of arms.
- Explore related collections: After the Cigar Band House, connect the dots with Volendam’s traditional costumes, the botterzaal, and period interiors to round out the story of craft and community.
- Ask about tours and screenings: Guided tours (on request) and films about old Volendam can enrich your visit with context and stories.
- Bring curious kids: Museum programs foster hands‑on creativity—especially during youth week activities like cigar‑band mosaics—that make history tangible.
- Plan your route and arrival: The museum is centrally located, with a tour bus stop right next to the building. It’s easily accessible by all means of transport, with plenty of parking in front and a location next to a bus station.
- Accessibility matters: The building is easily accessible for seniors and disabled visitors and includes a disabled toilet.
- Broaden your day in Volendam: For a self‑guided village walk, you can download free walking routes from the “Uniquely Volendam” sightseeing page on the Marken Express website—handy if you’re planning a full day.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Cigar Band House?
A unique installation in a separate wing of the Volendam Museum where mosaics made from cigar bands cover walls and objects, creating a fully immersive environment.
How many cigar bands were used?
Roughly 11 million cigar bands were used to create the mosaics.
What scenes are depicted?
World‑famous buildings (including St. Peter’s Basilica, the Tower of Pisa, and Manneken Pis), as well as coats of arms and other detailed scenes.
When did the Cigar Band House become part of the museum?
Since 1995, following its acquisition in 1993 and installation in a dedicated wing.
What else can I see at the Volendam Museum?
Permanent displays of traditional costumes, paintings, old interiors, the botterzaal with the forecastle of a full‑size botter, and ship models. There are changing exhibitions, film screenings about old Volendam, and guided tours on request.
Is the museum accessible?
Yes. The building is easily accessible for seniors and disabled visitors and includes a disabled toilet. There is plenty of parking in front, and the museum is next to a bus station with a tour bus stop beside the building.
Conclusion: Step inside a world built from paper
The Cigar Band House at the Volendam Museum turns the ordinary into the unforgettable. By arranging roughly 11 million cigar bands into a total work of art, this immersive installation preserves craft traditions, honors everyday materials, and invites you to see complexity emerge from countless small parts. It’s not just something to look at—it’s a place to stand inside and feel the power of patient, collective creativity.
Ready to experience it for yourself? Plan your visit to the Volendam Museum, explore current exhibitions like Volendam, a musical journey through the century and Oe Vrauwe Kêike, and order your tickets online today.