Museum on the 1944 Battle of Arnhem in Villa Hartenstein in Oosterbeek, the former British divisional headquarters, with an underground immersive experience.
April 10, 2026 – January 3, 2027
The separate paths of General Stanisław Sosabowski, commander of the Polish parachute brigade at Arnhem, and his son in the Warsaw resistance, with great-grandson Hal Sosabowski as guest curator.
Villa Hartenstein on the edge of Oosterbeek has a long history: in the 18th century the inn "Het Rode Hert" stood on the site, which a lawyer replaced with a manor house in 1779. The present building dates from around 1865, with conservatories and gardens added around 1905. In 1942 the estate passed to the municipality of Renkum and was run as a hotel.
In September 1944 Hotel Hartenstein became the headquarters of the British 1st Airborne Division under Major General Roy Urquhart. From here the Allied airborne troops were commanded during Operation Market Garden; their task was to capture the Rhine bridge at Arnhem, and after nine days they had to be evacuated across the Rhine.
The museum was founded in 1949 and was first housed in an outbuilding of Kasteel Doorwerth. As the collection grew, it moved after renovation to Villa Hartenstein, where Urquhart himself reopened it on May 11, 1978. The underground Airborne Experience was added later, and in 2020 the museum was completely redesigned.
Today the museum tells the story of the battle day by day from British, Polish and German perspectives as well as from the point of view of the civilian population, with authentic uniforms, weapons, personal belongings and numerous eyewitness interviews. The museum also includes a branch, the Airborne Museum at the Bridge, at the John Frost Bridge in Arnhem.
| Adults | €16 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €11Students and CJP cardholders over 18 |
| Children & teens | €8free up to age 3 · Children up to and including age 3 free, ages 4–7 €8, teens ages 8–17 €11. Children aged 4 to 12 must be accompanied by an adult. |
| Seniors | –No senior discount mentioned. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · One companion of a visitor who cannot visit the museum independently is admitted free. |
| Students & apprentices | €11With a student or CJP pass. |
| Groups | –Online tickets for up to 20 people; larger groups and payment by invoice (€5 administration fee) via boekingen@airbornemuseum.nl. |
| Defensie (Dutch armed forces) or veteran's pass | €8 |
| Fellowship pass | €8 |
| Gelrepas adults | €8Pay with the Gelrepas at the ticket desk; teens €6, children €4. |
Free with the Museumkaart (the Museumkaart is also available in the museum shop); members of the Vrienden van het Airborne Museum free. The VriendenLoterij VIP-KAART and ICOM card are not accepted. Online reservation recommended (especially on weekends and during holidays); reservations by phone are not possible. The family page still lists older, lower prices (€15/€10); the prices entered here are those from the visitor page and the ticket shop.
Fully accessible for (electric) wheelchairs, rollators and strollers; elevator, accessible restroom on level -2. Two loan wheelchairs, reserve by email. Two accessible parking spaces behind Restaurant Klein Hartenstein. Leashed, identified assistance dogs welcome without prior notice; other dogs not allowed. No materials in Braille, no audio description, no induction loop. The Airborne Experience uses intense sounds, flashing lights and images (note for people with epilepsy, sensory sensitivity or PTSD); occasional low-stimulus evening openings.
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 3 |
|---|
Free children's audio tour "Missie Hartenstein" with puzzles for children up to age 12, narrated by YouTuber Boris Lange. Eyewitness stories and dilemma tours for children and teens. Because of its intense war sounds and light effects, the Airborne Experience is not intended for children under 8.
Airborne Museum
From Arnhem Centraal, take bus 303 toward Wageningen to the "Airborne Museum" stop (15 minutes at most). Oosterbeek station is about a 10-minute walk away.
Free parking · 1-min walk to the entrance
Free parking lot right next to the museum, accessed beside Restaurant Klein Hartenstein (Utrechtseweg 226 or J.J. Talsmalaan 1); less than a minute's walk. Tour buses park on Oranjeweg, diagonally opposite.
The museum is about a ten-minute drive from the A50 (from the south) and the A12 (from the west and east); in Oosterbeek, follow the "Airborne Museum" signs. Enter the full address including the postal code into your GPS.
Get directionsMuseum café "Het Rode Hert" with a partly covered terrace overlooking Park Hartenstein (coffee, cake, lunch; usually 10:00–16:45, from November to February outside holidays at least until 14:00), with a food truck at times. Museum shop with books, souvenirs and toys, accessible without an admission ticket; it also houses the Tourist Information Point Oosterbeek. Group packages for receptions with Buitenpoort Catering. Restaurant Klein Hartenstein in the former coachman's house next door (independently run).
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (NL, EN, PL, DE) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Free audio guide with around 60 stories about the permanent exhibition, narrated by Antony Beevor, Ad van Liempt, Boris Lange and Matthias Strohn, among others; pick it up at the entrance, no reservation needed. Guided walks (Perimeterwandeling, Airborne Cemetery, John Frost Bridge), talks with eyewitnesses and lecture series can be booked as activities; group programs and school programs through the booking department. |
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