Natuurcentrum Arnhem

What Natuurcentrum Arnhem does

Natuurcentrum Arnhem is a Dutch non-profit foundation (Stichting) operating nature education and urban agriculture facilities across Arnhem, Gelderland. It manages a portfolio of physical sites including two city farms (Stadsboerderij Presikhaaf and Stadsboerderij de Korenmaat), the Molenplaats Sonsbeek visitor center with the historic Witte Watermolen — a 15th-century water mill still in operation — and Heemtuin Presikhaaf, a nature garden originally opened in 1981. The foundation additionally manages approximately 80 hectares of agricultural land under biological and nature-inclusive farming practices and runs the Dierotheek program, which lends live animals to schools for educational purposes.

The foundation serves four distinct customer segments: primary and secondary school children (nature education programs, school gardens across five primary schools including OBS 't Panorama, and the Dierotheek lending scheme); the general public and families (workshops, guided walks, BioBlitz biodiversity events, restaurant A Beautiful Mess at Molenplaats); businesses (venue rental at Molenplaats and other green facilities for meetings and events); and individuals requiring social participation or day support through Werkproject De Korenmaat. Operational go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer, leveraging a volunteer base of approximately 150 alongside 40 staff under a Raad van Toezicht supervisory board.

Revenue is sourced primarily from Dutch municipal and provincial government subsidies facilitated by the foundation's ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) public-benefit designation, supplemented by public donations, modest activity fees (€3-€7.50 per person for workshops and walks), venue rental (€140 per dagdeel for meeting rooms), and small-scale organic product sales — most notably SKAL-certified flour from the Witte Watermolen retailed through Bakkerista. Pricing is deliberately accessible, with free entry to most locations, anchoring the foundation's public-benefit positioning rather than commercial maximization.

Name

Natuurcentrum Arnhem

Legal name

Stichting Natuurcentrum Arnhem

Website

https://natuurcentrumarnhem.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Natuurcentrum Arnhem is a Dutch non-profit foundation operating city farms, a 15th-century water mill, and nature education programs across Arnhem, serving schools, families, businesses, and social participation participants with approximately 40 staff and 150 volunteers managing 80 hectares of nature-inclusive farmland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nature and Sustainability Education

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems & Land Management (BPADALAG)

Keywords

• Nature education programs
• City farm management
• Biodiversity conservation
• Environmental education
• Community engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Arnhem

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and gifts: As a foundation (stichting), Natuurcentrum Arnhem depends on subsidies and donations. The website features a donation form for public contributions.
2. Government subsidies: Primary funding source as a charitable institution, including ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) status indicating public benefit organization classification.
3. Venue rental: Meeting room rentals at Molenplaats Sonsbeek (€140 per dagdeel including VAT) and at Stadsboerderij Presikhaaf for corporate trainings and meetings.
4. Product sales: Sale of mill products from Witte Watermolen including bread baking mixes, cake mixes, and flour. SKAL-certified organic products sold at Molenschuur.
5. Activity fees: Modest participation fees for workshops and guided activities (e.g., €3 per person), with discounts for Gerompas cardholders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Natuurcentrum Arnhem operates public city farms (Stadsboerderij Presikhaaf, Stadsboerderij de Korenmaat), a visitor center with a historic water mill (Molenplaats Sonsbeek), and a nature garden (Heemtuin Presikhaaf), delivering nature and sustainability education programs to schools, families, and the general public. It sells SKAL-certified organic mill products, rents out meeting and event spaces, and runs guided walks, workshops, and biodiversity events such as BioBlitz.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Nature Education Programs for Schools Structured nature and sustainability lessons for primary, secondary, and vocational education classes, covering biodiversity, healthy eating, and sustainability. Delivered on-site at Natuurcentrum locations or at the school itself.
• Dierotheek (Animal Lending Library) Live animals lent to schools for up to one week, accompanied by handling guides, lesson suggestions, background information, and worksheets for teachers. Booked via the NME-Gids system.
• School Garden Coaching (Schoolmoestuinieren) School garden coaching delivered by moestuincoach Chantal at five different schools, teaching children about vegetables, animals, and insects.
• Workshops (Bloemen Maken, Drawing, etc.) Recurring workshops for individuals and families such as the Bloemen Maken flower arranging workshop (€3 per person, materials included), nature drawing workshops, and other hands-on sessions, scheduled in the public activities calendar.
• Guided Nature Walks Family and friends walks (€5 per person, minimum €25), business walks (€7.50 per person, minimum €75), and specialized topic walks including the Vleermuiswandeling (bat walk) using bat detectors. Free with Gerompas card.
• Venue Rental - Stadsboerderij Presikhaaf Meeting room rental at Stadsboerderij Presikhaaf for up to 22 persons at €140 per dagdeel including VAT. Includes digital presentation screen, flip-over, and wifi. Suitable for corporate trainings, workshops, and events.
• Venue Rental - Molenplaats Sonsbeek Three event spaces available for meetings and events at Molenplaats Sonsbeek: Sprengzaal (up to 12), Parkzaal (up to 36), and Molenschuur (up to 75). Brochure with detailed pricing available.
• Organic Mill Products SKAL-certified organic flour, bread baking mixes, and cake mixes produced at the Witte Watermolen and sold at the Molenschuur farm shop on Wednesdays and Sundays. Supplied to local bakeries including Bakkerista.

Quantifiable outcome

• First energy-neutral city farm in the Netherlands
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Groen ArnhemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2015Joint initiative with Molenplaats Sonsbeek, Kernteam Stadslandbouw, and Gemeente Arnhem. Created in April 2015 to connect bottom-up green initiatives in Arnhem including neighborhood greening, self-harvest gardens, and urban agriculture.
• Energie made in ArnhemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of parties working to make Arnhem more sustainable through energy savings and renewable energy. Stadsboerderij Presikhaaf made energy-neutral through solar panels. Organization's electric cars powered by solar energy.
• Arnhem KlimaatbestendigmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatform informing and inspiring Arnhemmers to make the city more climate-resilient. Partners include Netwerk Groen Arnhem, Natuurcentrum Arnhem, Gemeente Arnhem, Waterschap Rijn en IJssel, Centrum voor Architectuur, and Le Far West landschapsarchitectuur.
• IVN ArnhemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose cooperation in organizing activities and events. IVN Arnhem regularly organizes excursions in Heemtuin Presikhaaf. Shared goal of nature experiences for youth and adults.
• VSKBNminorOthersBranch organization for city and children's farms in Netherlands. Important national contact point and partner for advocacy.
• GDOminorOthersNetwork of 120 local nature and sustainability education organizations. National contact point and advocate for Natuurcentrum Arnhem.
• Jong Leren EtenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram where government, provinces, education, and organizations cooperate to expose children and youth to food information and activities. Shares goal with Natuurcentrum Arnhem of teaching healthy and sustainable choices.
• Boerderijcafé De HooijmaatminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFarm café on Stadsboerderij De Korenmaat territory. Works with pure products and employs people with intellectual disabilities. Good synergy with farm activities.
• Klimaatverbond NederlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of 150+ local governments with leading climate policy. Involved in Energy Battle, Kinderklimaattop, Warme Truiendag, and Groene Voetstappen initiatives in Arnhem.
• Werkproject De KorenmaatmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWork project at Stadsboerderij De Korenmaat providing work-based day activities for people with psychiatric backgrounds. Animals are cared for and grounds maintained together.
• NatuurvisieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEric de Blok provides lectures, walks, workshops using nature examples for organizational questions at Stadsboerderij De Korenmaat. LEAN approach combining learning, experience, attention, and nature.
• Sport in ArnhemminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatform for sport, movement, and lifestyle offerings in Arnhem facilitated by Sportbedrijf Arnhem. Partnership for 'Wandel je fit' program on Wednesday mornings.
• Nationaal Monumenten PortaalminorOthersInitiative of Nationale Monumentenorganisatie (NMo) for experiencing and preserving monuments. NMo is an association of professional monument-holding organizations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• IVN Natuureducatie: National Dutch network for nature and sustainability education with ~170 local affiliates; Natuurcentrum Arnhem is an explicit local partner of IVN Arnhem. Overlapping mission in nature education for schools and the public, but IVN operates at a national scale with broader programming.
• Natuurmonumenten: The largest Dutch nature conservation organization, managing natural areas, monuments, and educational access. Operates at a national scale well beyond Arnhem; comparable in nature-area stewardship and public access, but with a far larger portfolio and membership base.
• Naturalis Biodiversity Center: National natural history museum and research center in Leiden with extensive educational programming, citizen-science initiatives, and biodiversity exhibits. Comparable biodiversity-education mission, but at a much larger institutional scale and museum-based.
• Staatsbosbeheer: Dutch state forestry and nature management agency operating nature areas nationwide with public access, education, and conservation mandates. Broad incumbent in nature management with overlapping educational programming, but at a national/state scale.
• LandschappenNL: Federation of Dutch regional landscape conservation organizations managing natural and cultural landscapes with public access and education. Comparable stewardship and public-engagement mission, broader geographic footprint.

Others

• Stadsboerderij De Korenmaat (sister site): Actually a sub-brand of Natuurcentrum Arnhem itself, included to show the multi-site city-farm structure that other Dutch city farms emulate. Other Dutch city farms use a comparable multi-site educational farming model.

Regional players

• Boerderij De Papegaai (Amsterdam): City farm in Amsterdam with educational programming, animal care, and volunteer engagement. Comparable city-farm model with school visits and community programs, but geographically separate from Arnhem.
• Natuurmuseum Fryslân: Nature museum and visitor institution combining exhibits, biodiversity education, and family programming. Comparable as a nature-focused public education institution, but museum-based rather than farm/park-based and located in a different province.
• Stadsboerderij Rotterdam: Rotterdam's municipal network of city farms offering public access, school programs, and animals in an urban setting. Closest structural analogue to Natuurcentrum Arnhem's stadsboerderijen model, but operating in a different Dutch city.
• CMN (Centrum voor Natuur- en Milieueducatie): Regional Dutch nature and environment education centers delivering school programs and public activities. Closest peer in mission, structure (non-profit NME), and school-focused delivery model, but serving different regions than Arnhem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/natuurcentrumarnhem
• Facebookfacebook.com/natuurcentrumarnhem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/natuurcentrum-arnhem

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Natuurcentrum Arnhem