Photo: Harry Cock (2011)
Excursions to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill Across Four Seasons
In 2025 and 2026, Land Art Contemporary and DIEP will organize a series of bus excursions to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill.
Visitors can experience the artwork on two weekends per season. To minimize the environmental impact, excursions will be conducted by bus.
Tickets for these excursions are available here.
The departure point is Emmen Zuid Station, which is easily accessible by public transport and car. From the parking area, a bus will take visitors to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill. Along the way, a brief introduction to the artwork will be provided. Additionally, an audio tour (accessible via smartphone) and the film Breaking Ground: Broken Circle/Spiral Hill (approx. 21 min) will be available for viewing. The visit on site lasts approximately 1.5 hours.
Dates
2025 Excursion Weekends:
Spring:
Weekend 1: Saturday, April 19 & Sunday, April 20
Weekend 2: Saturday, May 10 & Sunday, May 11
Summer:
Weekend 3: Saturday, June 21 & Sunday, June 22
Weekend 4: Saturday, July 26 & Sunday, July 27
Extra Summer Weekend: Saturday, August 23 & Sunday, August 24
Autumn:
Weekend 5: Open Monuments Day Saturday, September 13 & Sunday, September 14 (in development)
Weekend 6: Saturday, October 18 & Sunday, October 19
2026 Excursion Weekends:
Winter:
Weekend 7: Saturday, January 17 & Sunday, January 18
Weekend 8: Saturday, February 21 & Sunday, February 22
Visiting info
Departure point and times
- There are different bus departure times each day. Check your order details to be sure.
- Look carefully at the time on your ticket: this time is the departure time of the bus from the car park of Emmen South station.
- Meeting point for the bus excursion is Parking lot at Emmen- Zuid station. This is easily accessible by both public transport and car. Parking is free of charge.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6iBi6FTBUuDeVeko8
About your visit
- Entering the grounds where the artworks Broken Circle/Spiral Hill are situated is at your own risk. Under no circumstances can the owner and organisation be held liable to anyone for any direct or indirect damage resulting from - or in connection with - entering this site and viewing the works.
- The work is located in an inactive sand excavation, and is only accessible on foot, over sand and via fairly steep descents and ascents. Therefore, the work of art is unfortunately difficult or impossible to reach for the disabled or people with reduced fitness.
- The visit to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill mainly takes place outdoors. Please therefore pay attention to the weather conditions on the day of your visit and adjust your clothing accordingly.
- There is a small chance of being bitten by a tick. It is therefore wise to check for ticks after your visit.
- Allow for a visit of about 2 hours (including the film).
- Broken Circle has been under water since February 2024 due to high groundwater levels. Therefore, you cannot enter the Broken Circle. However, this part of the artwork is still visible from Spiral Hill. Land Art Contemporary is monitoring the situation and in cooperation with various experience experts and experts, we are working on a multi-year maintenance plan.
- There is no catering facility on site. Near station-South is an OK petrol station with a cafe and toilet.
- Dogs are not allowed on the bus and on site.
Audio tour
During your visit to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill, you can listen to an audio tour in Dutch on your phone. You will find the link and QR code on arrival at the venue.
Don't forget to bring earplugs or headphones!
Ticketsupport
Tickets can be cancelled or changed up to 48 hours before excursion, via https://tickets.cbkemmen.nl/nl/ticketsupport. Important: it is only possible to change the date of your ticket within the season that you booked. Would you rather change the date to another season? Then it is best to apply for a refund of your current tickets and buy new tickets for the preferred date.
Do you still have a question about your visit? Then email info@brokencircle.nl for more info.
Liability
Entering the site of Broken Circle/Spiral Hill artworks is at your own risk. Under no circumstances can the owner and organization be held liable to anyone for any direct or indirect damage as a result of - or in connection with - entering this site and viewing the works.
Location
The excursions depart from Emmen Zuid train station.
Address and parking: Wilhelmsweg 95-97, 7814 VG Emmen.
The morning bus departs at 11:00 AM and will return to the station around 1:15 PM.
The afternoon bus departs at 2:00 PM and will return to the station around 4:15 PM.
On July 26 and 27, an additional bus will depart at 5:00 PM and return to the station around 7:15 PM.
"Parks are idealizations of nature,
but nature in fact is not a condition of the ideal."
ROBERT SMITHSON
Card. Photo: Unknown, ca 1972
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Holt/Smithson Foundation and Land Art Contemporary, in cooperation with different parties, are working towards a sustainable future for Broken Circle/Spiral Hill in Emmen, The Netherlands.
Activities related to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill are financially supported by:
All artworks and images by Nancy Holt and Robert Smithson are copyright Holt/Smithson Foundation, licensed by VAGA at ARS, New York.
