Wereldpaviljoen Steyl
Hands-on experience center in Steyl: a "flight" to Nicaragua and Ghana in a plane, with village sets, VR experiences and workshops for families and school classes.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Wereldpaviljoen Steyl grew out of an idea by René Poels, who had long supported development projects with the Stichting Ontwikkelingssamenwerking Meerlo-Wanssum and wanted to inspire young people about other cultures. The occasion was the Floriade 2012 horticultural exhibition in North Limburg, where the pavilion first presented itself in the Villa Flora with around 80 volunteers. Afterwards the foundation looked for a permanent location and found it in the vacant printing works, more than a hundred years old, of the Missiehuis Sint Michaël in the monastery village of Steyl.
Construction began at the end of 2013; on October 17, 2014, Governor Theo Bovens opened the building. At first there was the Nicaragua experience center with a re-created village including a house, school, cocoa plantation, factory, bank and market. Nicaragua was chosen because of the twin-town partnerships of Maastricht and Gennep. In April 2019 the Ghana experience center was added, using virtual reality technology. In 2015 the expert jury of the ANWB (Dutch touring association) named the house one of the most socially valuable day-trip destinations in the Netherlands.
Operations depend entirely on volunteers. The lease with the former landlord was terminated in 2023; a new agreement with the heritage organization BOEi secures the pavilion's presence in the printing works until restoration of the building begins.
Highlights
- Real Fokker 50 "JetSTAR" as the entry point to the experience worlds
- Re-created village in Nicaragua with a house, school, plantation and market
- Ghana experience center with VR bus ride, Baobab stories and drum wall
- VR simulation of the boat crossing to Lampedusa
- Free audio tour in Dutch and German
Permanent exhibitions
- Inleefatelier Nicaragua – After a virtual flight in the Fokker plane, visitors explore a re-created village in Nicaragua with a house, school, cocoa plantation, factory, bank and market.
- Belevingscentrum Ghana – Virtual bus ride through Ghana, VR village visit, stories under the baobab, drum wall and the VR crossing to Lampedusa.
- Founded
- 2014
- Operated by
- Stichting Wereldpaviljoen Steyl
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €6free up to age 3 · Children aged 4 to 14 pay €6; children aged 0 to 3 enter free. |
| Groups (30+ people) | –From 30 participants, €1 reduction per adult and €0.50 per child. |
| Children's birthday – basic package | €13Per child, including admission and activities; for children aged 5 to 12, maximum 10 children, Wednesdays and Sundays 13:30–17:00, by booking only; accompanying adults pay €10, including coffee or tea; not bookable during the summer holidays. |
| Children's birthday – basic package with pancakes | €15Per child; only possible if the party starts before 14:00. |
| School program for primary school (per class) | €185Flat rate per group; programs for groups 1 to 8, registration via the form. |
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- 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
Listed by Visit Noord-Limburg as wheelchair-accessible. Dogs are not allowed, except assistance dogs.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 3 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Kids’ birthday parties
Children and families experience life in Nicaragua and Ghana through games, role plays (market vendors, shoe shiners), workshops with jewelry and toys made from waste, and VR glasses. Children's birthday parties can be booked for 5- to 12-year-olds.
Getting there & parking
The Wereldpaviljoen is located in the former printing works of the Missiehuis Sint Michaël in the monastery village of Steyl, on Sint Michaëlstraat.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
Group arrangements for associations, friends' circles and families, as well as children's birthday parties by arrangement; reservations via the form on the website.
Plan your visit
| Audio guide | yes (NL, DE) |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The free audio tour (37 stations) works via QR codes on your own smartphone. Volunteers accompany visitors. Groups of 15 or more people can also come outside opening hours (except on Mondays) by arrangement; smaller groups of up to 15 people are welcome on Wednesdays and Sundays by arrangement. |
