Across the Border

Crime in Limburg

Based on the numbers, Limburg appears to be the most criminal province in the Netherlands. But what’s the story behind the statistics? And who are the people behind the headlines? In the Across the Border exhibition, you can look beyond the numbers and get an unexpected perspective on crime in this border province.

Voices

Video interviews with more than 20 people involved in crime in various ways form the core of the exhibition. For example, a psychologist talks about morbid curiosity: the human fascination with crime. Former prisoners talk openly about their time in custody. Victims and relatives share their vulnerable stories, and police officers talk about the challenges of working in a border area.

These voices from modern society are interwoven with historical accounts of smuggling, the IRA attacks and the Buck Riders (Bokkenrijders), among other things. With extraordinary objects and resources never before seen on display in a single place for the general public.

Together, these different perspectives show how the border with Germany and Belgium leaves a mark on crime in the province of Limburg. Their stories also invite you to reflect on your own views and learn about new perspectives.

Where is your boundary?

Boundaries run like a thread through the exhibition, from enforcement at and across national borders to the boundary between good and evil. In this way, the exhibition offers a new look at a familiar theme. Because not only are fictional crime stories and true crime wildly popular in series, podcasts and books, but topics such as security, drugs and violence are also part of everyday reality.

In Across the Border, you can discover how close that world can sometimes get. Where do you draw the line?

Visit from April 4

Across the Border – Crime in Limburg can be visited from April 4, 2026, to January 3, 2027. Book your tickets through our webshop.

Although the exhibition does not contain shocking images, due to the subject matter we recommend it for visitors aged 12 and older.

Header image: Wolfgang Sevenich | Image: 1906 identification card of a convicted Limburger. Korpora Collection. Erfgoed Publieke Veiligheid, Apeldoorn.