Exhibition 75 years of Roadside Assistance until 5 September 2021

The ANWB Roadside Assistance is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. To mark this jubilee, the Louwman Museum in The Hague will open its doors from Friday 2 July through Sunday 5 September for the exhibition '75 years of Roadside Assistance'. The exhibition is a journey through time featuring iconic roadside assistance vehicles and also offers a glimpse into the future.

How it started
Shortly after the Second World War, the ANWB came up with the idea of getting broken down cars back on the road, following the example of the British sister club Automobile Association (AA). On 15 April 1946, the first roadside assistance brigade of the Wegenwacht started operating in the Netherlands with seven Harley Davidson Liberator motorcycles, taken over from the Canadian army. They were painted yellow and fitted with a sidecar containing a toolbox. A few years later, in 1950, the Wegenwacht was active in every province. By then, nearly 100 sidecar combinations were driving all over the country. After that, things moved quickly. Mass motoring had begun. Wegenwacht stations were opened along the main highways. And not long after, emergency phones were installed throughout the country. Today, around 900 roadside patrols drive across the Netherlands, helping more than 1 million stranded motorists get back on their way each year.

The future
The Wegenwacht continuously responds to new developments. In 2021, themes such as electric driving, sharing concepts and the use of data are playing an increasingly important role. By anticipating and responding to the latest developments, the Wegenwacht can continue to offer its members the best roadside assistance.
The exhibition '75 years of Wegenwacht' at the Louwman Museum, Leidsestraatweg 57 in The Hague can be visited from Friday 2 July through Sunday 5 September.