Since one and a half year I am a room guide at castle de Haar. What I like most is the contact with castle visitors.

Usually we don't give tours, but tell people about the castle individually. This allows me to adapt my story to the person in front of me. With a visitor who is interested in building history I have a different conversation than with a little girl who dreams of becoming a princess. With yet another I have a conversation about what it would be like to spend a night in this castle.

When I return home, I have always told great stories and had great experiences.

Last October I had my introductory interview at the Haar. I had previously seen a vacancy on the website for volunteer park and gardens. I thought it would be fun to volunteer in this beautiful and historic area and I love being physically outdoors.

Now, after a few months of being part of the friendly team, I can say that I like it very much. The atmosphere is good and we are very well supported as volunteers.

Last fall we were mostly busy cleaning up chestnuts, acorns and leaves. In this new season we still have some maintenance to do.

Hopefully I will learn more about keeping up the different gardens and how to prune and fertilize. Since I am a biology teacher in regular life, it will also be educational and I will be able to pass on what I have learned to my students. All in all, a fun fill-in of a day off!

Through a newspaper ad, I ended up at Castle de Haar. The Souterrain was then still a large empty space. That has changed now! In November 2018, the store in the Souterrain opened. Every day all the visitors come in there. We sell all kinds of fun souvenirs and items that tie in with the experience of the castle. The first day I entered the castle was amazing. I never dreamed I would be working in a castle. After 41 years in an office, now in a castle store!!!

Working in the store brings me many social contacts. Both among the volunteers and colleagues and with the different guests from all kinds of countries.

If you don't speak each other's language, it's fun to still try to get along. Many guests also appreciate having a chat and giving compliments to the volunteers and room guides in the castle.

There are also the various jobs. Like restocking the items in the store and helping with the price tags on the items, checking out at the cash register and wrapping all the presents.

All in all, a pleasure to work at Castle de Haar.

Working on the flower team is the moment I look forward to every time. There I can combine my passion for flowers with creating beautiful things.

Together with pleasant colleagues, I work throughout the year to create additional appearance in the Castle. Creatively we may handle the dahlias, picked in the castle garden.

Making Christmas arrangements together for all visitors to enjoy is one of the highlights of the year. We also provide the fresh produce in the old kitchen.

The mutual atmosphere in the team is very nice. I wouldn't want to miss this.

It's great to be a volunteer at Collections Management!

Polishing ancient cutlery, knowing that it has been in the hands of the greats. They have stirred, cut and pierced flesh with it. I see the wear marks as I polish and try to imagine what it was like at that dining table, with so many influential people around you.

Of course, there are many other fun jobs that I do with our team on a regular basis. Such as maintaining and moving pieces of furniture, tapestries, vases and redecorating the rooms in the castle.

It's a surprise every Monday what we're going to focus on but it never actually gets boring.

For almost two years now I have been a volunteer at De Haar Castle. Every week I work in the museum store. I responded to a vacancy. After an introductory interview and an afternoon walking along, I was immediately enthusiastic. A special atmosphere, a nice assortment and good collegiality between the volunteers make the work very enjoyable.

The museum store is the first reception for our guests. With a warm welcome, we ensure a good start to their visit to our castle. Our guests come from all over the world. So you immediately come into contact with various languages and cultures. Regularly you strike up a conversation which is always inspiring.

A very varied package of work, which does not get boring. And also in a good atmosphere, with nice people! Because of my enthusiasm, I have meanwhile followed the training for hall guide and since six months I am also active as a hall guide.