Organization

The Bastei tells the story of life at the river. Dive into the museum and go on a journey through the past, present and future. Here, on the Waal and in the oldest city in the Netherlands, you touch the past, discover the flora and fauna of the Gelderland river area and get to work in De Bastei Academy. Fun and educational for large and small researchers. Experience how the river connects city and nature here!

A bridge in time and space

In keeping with our oldest city in the Netherlands, the busiest river in Europe and the rich nature of the Gelderse Poort national landscape, De Bastei bridges the gap between history and contemporary issues.

Dive into the exciting history of Nijmegen in De Bastei

The location on the Waalkade is ideal for this: the history of the river here goes back to the formation of the landscape and the earliest history of the city. The archaeological finds offer a unique opportunity to learn about the city's traditional relationship with the river. Wander through the historic streets of the city and touch the Nijmegen of the 13th century!

River management is also an important and current theme within the story of the river. For example, river widening projects in and around Nijmegen ensure a climate-proof river landscape, where safety and space for nature go hand in hand. At De Bastei Academy you can try to shape the river yourself and help build the future of the river landscape.

Education

Book a field lesson or group visit to our museum with your class. The lending service provides the loan of more than 40 different teaching boxes. These can be used, especially in primary education, for lessons about nature, the environment, science and technology. Teaching kits often replace methods, under the motto 'no more, but better'.

NME tasks are also part of De Bastei. Schools from the municipality of Nijmegen can contact us for advice and information about NME facilities in the area.

Collection

With more than 100,000 objects, our collection has grown into the most important regional natural history collection. Private individuals or educational institutions can borrow objects from our collection under certain conditions, for example for a lecture or speech. The distant past suddenly becomes tangible when a student holds a million-year-old fossil in his hands.