Huis Zypendaal

About the museum

Zypendaal lies in hilly parkland on the edge of Arnhem and is a country estate ("buitenplaats") that locals like to call a "little castle". The present house was built between 1762 and 1764 as a new building for the Arnhem patrician family Brantsen; it stands on the site of older 17th-century buildings, of which only parts of the garden layout survive. The wealth of the builders was due in part to income from sugar plantations in Suriname; on its website the house addresses the colonial and slavery heritage of its inhabitants.

For more than two hundred years Zypendaal remained in the possession of the Brantsen family. The last private residents were Baron W. G. Brantsen (1831–1899) and his wife Alwina Bohlen. On the beletage, with an entrance hall and six furnished rooms, visitors can see how the family lived: a dining room with a laid table, a large salon, a gentleman's study, and a marble floor with a chain pattern in the hallway. The extensive collection of family portraits was the basis of the Stichting Brantsen van de Zyp foundation and has partly returned to Zypendaal; silver, historic photographs and decorations are also on show. One mysterious item is the "Mannetje van de Zyp", a small figure of a boy with a drinking jug – according to legend, the family would die out if it left the house.

The remaining rooms house the headquarters of Geldersch Landschap & Kasteelen, which now manages the house. It can only be visited on certain Sundays, independently or with a guided tour; in addition, Park Zypendaal and the adjoining Sonsbeek city park invite visitors to go for a walk.

Highlights

• Beletage with entrance hall and six historically furnished rooms
• Marble floor with chain motif in the hallway
• Collection of Brantsen family portraits
• The "Mannetje van de Zyp" in the gentleman's study
• Park Zypendaal with springs, ponds and streams, followed by Sonsbeek

Permanent exhibition

• Historisch eingerichtete Räume der Familie Brantsen – Entrance hall and six rooms on the beletage with original furnishings, family portraits, silver and the "Mannetje van de Zyp".

Founded

1764

Operated by

Geldersch Landschap & Kasteelen

Admission & discounts

Free with Museumkaart and ICOM card, and for donors of Geldersch Landschap & Kasteelen (show your card, regular opening hours only). During events, vouchers and cards are usually not valid.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: not available
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Four steps without a handrail lead to the ground floor; a ramp plate for wheelchairs is available. The toilets on the ground floor are not accessible for disabled visitors. People with mobility impairments can be driven to the front door and to the park entrance; the park paths are paved and wheelchair-friendly. For visitors with hearing impairments there is an information sheet, and for everyone an audio tour in the izi.TRAVEL app.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly: not available
• Baby changing facilities: not available

For the little ones there is a picture search game; on certain dates the house opens specially for families. Prams are not allowed in the house but can be left in a locked room; there is no changing table, but there is a locked room for changing. In the park there are springs, waterfalls, ponds and streams to discover.

Getting there & parking

Museum visitors are welcomed on the ground floor; the stairs are to the left of the front door. During roadworks the house can sometimes only be reached via the Schelmseweg in the north.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check

Small museum shop with gifts and regional products; no café in the house, but food and drink are available nearby (including Brasserie De Boerderij in Sonsbeekpark).

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit