Het Markiezenhof — Attraction in Bergen op Zoom

The palace was meticulously restored after hundred years of being used for hospital and neglect. The exterior looks great. Inside several rooms were remodelled to look similar to what they used to be at the end of 18th century. The art furniture, paintings, tableware from this period were collected and nicely put to give the spirit before the last owners left the palace. There is a nice secrecy theme that is cleverly presented for children. The upper floor and attic has great and nostalgic collection of carousels, old cinema and even spooky medical curiosities. Staff is very helpful and had a lot of to tell. There is an elevator so most of the palace is accessible for people with limited abilities. There is no parking. Consider parking at the nearby parking places. There are several within 10 min walking distance. There's a cafe that offers coffee and tea. Walk through the courtyard and take a look into small park behind the palace. Reserve around 1,5-2 hours...

The museum explains the origins of the city of Bergen op Zoom, its marquesses and its defenses. The museum is very interactive; audio and video play automatically when sitting in certain places, or pushing buttons (hydro alcoholic gel available in the different rooms of the museum). It's a nice museum for kids, who will have a great time at the "Kermis zolder" where you can find miniature carrousels and other curiosities. Two treasure hunts for kids available: one for the temporary exhibition "Koele wateren" and one for the Kermis zolder. Lockers available at the entrance to leave your bag and coat (tokens available (free) at reception). Due to the covid regulations you must book a timeslot for your visit (70 people can enter the museum every half hour). Facemasks are not required...

Very nice museum in a medieval building in the heart of Bergen op Zoom, well worth the visit. The building itself is interesting enough, the interior adds another layer (especially the stuffed dog). At the time of visit there was a very interesting exhibition of landscape paintings on loan from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, wonderful. Only point of criticism was the lighting, some paintings were hard to see because of the reflection of light. Why are almost all paintings behind glass nowadays? What's the point of exhibiting them if they can't be looked at decently? Don't forget to visit the exhibitions in the attic about...