Arnoldus' Coat of Arms

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Illustration Korneel Detailleur

Out and about with a little knight

Arnoldus the Mouse has been scampering through the hallways here for years. This castle holds no secrets for him: he knows every nook, every cranny and every painting. Last year, he was made a knight, and how proud he was.

However, he has one little problem... All knights wear a coat of arms to show who they are and what they stand for. So, as a brand new knight, Arnoldus needs one too!

Luckily, you'll find lots of ideas in the castle to help you design a beautiful coat of arms. Thanks to you - and Arnoldus the Mouse's friends and family - he is sure to get one.

Would you help design a unique coat of arms for our brave little knight?

Practical info

How does it work? Arnoldus the Mouse's coat of arms is an activity booklet in the form of a coat of arms. At the reception, you'll be given a coat of arms, a sheet of stickers and a pencil. In the castle, ten mice or rats are hiding, in ten different rooms. If you see a mouse, there's an activity in the room and you can also stick a sticker on your coat of arms. The activities are varied: drawing, writing, doing, telling, finding,... Use the QR code to listen to the audio fragments in each room. Make sure to bring a mobile device to listen to them during your visit. You can take the coat of arms home with you at the end.

Handy to know:
» Target audience? Families with children aged from about 4 and above.
With a little help, younger children can also hunt for the mice, stick stickers and do the activities.
» When? During the castle opening times. Allow about 1 hour to complete the trail.
» Price? Free activity booklet from the castle ticket desk.
Free admission for under 18s Parents/supervisors require an entry ticket.

Accessibility:
» Nine out of the ten activities take place in the wheelchair-accessible rooms in the castle.
» The first floor of the castle can be accessed with a lift (a member of staff will help you).
» The audio fragments (using a QR code and your own device) contain all information that is also in the booklet.
» More information about accessibility can be found on this page.

Extra tip: in April and May, visit The Attic of Arnoldus, a hands-on exhibition for the whole family.

This hands-on exhibition is for all families with children, including those with a disability. When developing it, we received tips from, among others, De Ouders vzw, Luisterpuntbibliotheek, vzw Scholen Sint-Franciscus, Symfoon and Leersteuncentrum Kasterlinden. These initiatives promoting accessibility and inclusion are made possible thanks to the support of the Lions Club Kasteel van Gaasbeek.
Do you also have an idea or suggestion, or would you like to give some feedback? Please send an email to kasteelvangaasbeek@vlaanderen.be.