Fort Zoutman

Fort Zoutman is a historic fort in downtown Oranjestad and forms part of the Aruba Historical Museum complex. Construction began in 1796, and the fort was completed in 1798 after a two-year building period. It was created to help protect Aruba’s coastline and is identified by Aruba Tourism Authority as the oldest remaining building in Oranjestad.

The fort is associated with Aruba’s historical museum, whose collections document aspects of the island’s past. Aruba Tourism Authority describes historical documents and objects within the museum, while the courtyard includes a replica kitchen demonstrating how cooking was done in earlier periods of Aruba’s history.

Beside the fort stands the Willem III Tower, built in 1868. The tower originally served as both a lighthouse and a public clock tower. Its lighthouse remained in service until 1963, when the light was extinguished after 95 years.

Fort Zoutman is also the traditional setting for the Bon Bini Festival, a weekly Aruban cultural event featuring music, dance, art and food. Aruba Tourism Authority currently lists the festival at the Fort Zoutman courtyard on Tuesdays from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.

Visitors should be aware that restoration work is currently underway at Fort Zoutman and the Willem III Tower. A Government of Aruba update dated August 12, 2026 states that restoration of the tower remains in progress, with the main tower work expected to finish between late October and late November 2026. Museum and tower access should therefore be confirmed before visiting.