ROOM GUIDE AT CASTLE DE HAAR

There is a story behind every door and every detail in the castle. These stories bring the castle to life. They are told to visitors. As a room guide, you will answer questions about the building, the family residence and the collection, and you will tell them hospitably and with passion. You know how to convey the atmosphere of the September residence like no other. Together with enthusiastic colleagues, you are busy offering visitors a unique experience.

What does a service look like?

Through the park I walk to the castle before me in all its glory. That's where I'm going to be a bébé today. I am a guide there!
In the guide room, I meet my colleagues. I chat with one and fool around with the other. We go to the new kitchen for the "briefing" by the coordinator on duty. We hear some announcements, sometimes about a group of Belgians coming to visit our castle, sometimes about a wedding that will take place.
Then I go with my walkie-talkie to the room indicated on my roster. I stay in one place for fifteen or thirty minutes and then I change to another guide. I have three functions, I think. One: I want to tell stories and answer visitors' questions about the castle and about the Van Zuylen family. Two: I am a host. I want to make sure that visitors leave the castle satisfied. Three: I am an attendant. I keep an eye on all those beautiful tapestries, paintings and furniture of the castle. I don't intrude, but act friendly.
Occasionally I have a 15-minute break. Then, in the guide room, I meet other guides and we exchange experiences. About the little boy, for example, who thought the palanquin was a doghouse and about the lady who had visited hundreds of castles and found De Haar the most beautiful!
At the end of the service I fill out the attendance list and go home.
Bye castle. See you soon!
Jène van Moorsel, hall guide

How do you become a hall guide?

I have always loved storytelling and wanted to do something fun with it. After some googling I came upon the ideal opportunity: becoming a hall guide at Castle De Haar! After my application I received an invitation for the introduction evening. There I was introduced to the castle and a number of colleagues. I received a warm welcome and was told the story of the castle in a nutshell. First in the form of a presentation and then even with a short tour of the castle!

Two weeks after the introductory evening, the hall guide training began. It consists of ten meetings. In the first sessions, we were divided into small groups. Each group was given a tour of the castle by one of the instructional guides. In the last few sessions, we gave part of the tour ourselves. We got feedback from each other. At first, it was a little tense to tell the story myself while an experienced instructional guide listened in... However, the instructional guides were super understanding and made me feel at ease. As a result, my story came out smoothly.

After I had eight sessions, I got to stand in the room by myself one time. I loved it! I found that by now I knew the story well and was ready for the final step of the training: the 1-on-1 tour. Here I got to give the entire tour to an instructional guide. This was a bit exciting, but I knew the story well and managed to pass! Now I get to be a room guide several times a month at the most beautiful castle in the Netherlands. Will I see you here soon?

(Ricardo Maldonado de Sevilla, hall guide)

ALS HALL GUIDE....

- you attend at least twice a month on a fixed, pre-arranged day;

- You are neat, customer-friendly and service-oriented;

- You have good empathy;

- can understand and convey the main points of a text;

- can tell the story and answers to questions pictorially;

- in addition to narrating, you can also keep an overview in a room;

- Are you physically fit;

- Speaks the Dutch language well and English in the basics.

WHAT DOES CASTLE DE HAAR OFFER YOU?

Castle de Haar organizes a lot for volunteers. There are several extra activities throughout the year. You can think of participating in working groups. There are also lectures, outings, the annual volunteers drink and the annual volunteers party. Your travel expenses are also reimbursed.

Furthermore, Castle de Haar gives volunteers discounts on (group) visits in the castle and park, rental of rooms and items in the castle store with various schemes.