Kasteel Amerongen

About the museum

The history of Kasteel Amerongen begins in 1286, when the brothers Henric and Diederic Borre were granted permission to build a “huys” in the Rhine floodplain – probably at first just a brick residential tower for keeping watch over the dike. Over the centuries it was expanded into a castle, destroyed several times and rebuilt. From the mid-16th century the estate belonged to the Van Reede family for more than three centuries.

In the “Rampjaar” (Disaster Year) of 1672/73, French troops of Louis XIV burned the castle down. Under the direction of the lady of the castle, Margaretha Turnor, a plain building in the Dutch Classicist style rose on the old foundations, and it survives largely intact to this day. In the early 18th century the interior was furnished with furniture, porcelain, silver and damask; after 1795, when the family, loyal to the House of Orange, fled to England, the house stood uninhabited for a long time.

In 1879 the house passed to Godard Count van Aldenburg Bentinck, who renovated it and had the garden redesigned by Hugo Poortman. After World War I he took in Kaiser Wilhelm II, who lived here from 1918 to 1920 and signed his abdication before moving to Huis Doorn. The heirs sold the castle, its contents and gardens in 1977; since 1982 the Stichting Kasteel Amerongen has been responsible for preserving the ensemble and opening it to the public.

Today the house presents its rooms with the residents' original collection, cared for by about ten employees and some 270 volunteers. The estate also includes a ten-hectare garden with a rose garden, vegetable garden, orchard and woodland park, as well as the orangery with the ticket desk and shop.

Highlights

• Dutch Classicist building, rebuilt on the old foundations after its destruction in 1673
• Rooms where Kaiser Wilhelm II lived in exile from 1918 to 1920 and signed his abdication
• Original furnishings and collection of the Van Reede and Van Aldenburg Bentinck families
• Ten hectares of gardens spanning four centuries of garden history, with a rose garden and an organic vegetable garden
• On weekends, room guides (zaalgidsen) share stories about the house in the rooms

Founded

1982

Operated by

Stichting Kasteel Amerongen

Director

Guido Kilsdonk (directeur-bestuurder a. i.)

Admission & discounts

Castle ticket includes the garden. Free with the Museumkaart, as well as with the VriendenLoterij VIP-kaart, Rembrandtkaart, ICOM/ICOMOS and for Friends of Kasteel Amerongen – the card must be scanned at the ticket desk. Online timed tickets recommended (Ticketcounter charges €1.50 per booking; up to two months in advance; no refunds); at the ticket desk only if spaces are available. Be at the ticket desk 10 minutes before your time slot (5-minute walk to the castle). Card payment only. The Museumkaart is available in the shop.

Accessibility

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

The castle has steep stairs, narrow doors and no elevator and is not accessible by wheelchair, rollator or mobility scooter; stools are provided in most rooms. The garden (gravel paths) and terrace are passable, with wheelchair access through the green door next to the shop; the shop has 15-cm thresholds. No accessible restroom in the castle or the orangery, but there is one at Restobar Liz across the way (during its opening hours only). Two accessible parking spaces near the entrance. Certified assistance dogs allowed. Written room descriptions for visitors with hearing impairments. Occasional tours for blind and visually impaired visitors using sounds, scents and textures (e.g., December 12, 2026). Low-stimulus visits are recommended on days with room guides.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

For visits with children, the museum recommends weekends and public holidays with room guides, as the weekday tours are geared more toward adults. Free puzzle booklet for the castle from about first grade or age 6, garden scavenger hunt for ages 4 to 10 (€4.50), children's tours and activities during school holidays; participates in MuseumKids.

Getting there & parking

About 40 minutes by bike from Veenendaal-De Klomp or Veenendaal-West stations; bike racks with two e-bike charging stations on the Margaretha Turnorplein in front of the grounds (bicycles not allowed on the grounds).

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

Kasteelwinkel in the orangery with the ticket desk, coffee, tea, lemonade and cake, plus a terrace by the rose garden, also accessible without a ticket; the shop sells honey, garden produce, books and handicrafts by the textile volunteers and doubles as a VVV (tourist information) point. Organic vegetables from the castle garden in the pavilion between the wooden bridges. Restaurants on the grounds (including Restaurant Bentinck and Restobar Liz) run by the partner Swijnenburg. Bags and backpacks go in free lockers in the Onderhuis; no food or drink in the castle.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Weddings, parties and conferences on the castle grounds through the partner Swijnenburg; wedding photos from €350. Because of the fragile collection, the castle itself cannot be rented as a photo location; film and photo shoots only outside opening hours, from €2,500 per room, in the garden from €250 per hour.

Plan your visit