The Municipality of Eindhoven plans to assign the organization and operation of a visitor center at estate De Wielewaal to Nature Monuments. The center will be set up in the former gardeners house at Elburglaan 12.
The center will be a starting point for exploring the estate. Visitors can find information on flora, fauna, hiking routes, and cultural history, including gardens and buildings. Plans include a shop, a small café, and space for workshops and events. It will also serve as a base for volunteers who will manage the center, guide excursions, and help maintain the estate’s nature.
Nature and cultural history
The Municipality of Eindhoven aims to partially open estate De Wielewaal to the public in the second half of 2025. From then on, visitors can enjoy the nature and cultural history of the estate, which was owned by the Philips family for a long time.
“And when the visitor center opens later, a great wish that we had before acquiring the estate in 2022 will come true,” said alderman Rik Thijs (Climate and Greening). “It will be a place to inspire and educate about the unique nature and cultural history of the estate.”
Experience of Nature Monuments
To realize the visitor center, the municipality plans to rent the gardeners house at Elburglaan 12 to Nature Monuments, which has extensive experience in managing visitor centers in nature areas and working with volunteers.
Jasper Kuperus, team leader Visits and Experiences at Nature Monuments: “We see a stylish new visitor center as an opportunity to introduce everyone, especially young people and internationals, to nature in an accessible way. We are excited to develop beautiful initiatives with these individuals to engage more people in our work to better protect nature in the Netherlands.”
Developing plans
In the coming months, Nature Monuments and the municipality will further develop the plans and discuss them with local entrepreneurs and nearby residents. The goal is to open the visitor center in the spring of 2026.
The municipality will publish the intention on January 17, 2025, in the Municipal Gazette.