MergelRijk was conceived and realised in the early years of the 21st century by Peter Meurders and Aschwin Gulikers. It finally opened in 2014 in a centuries-old marl cave, as an attraction for both education and entertainment, with an emphasis on telling really all the stories about the geology and history of Limburg's caves and the use of marl. The idea was to give the old quarries that had not been used for marl extraction for many years a new function and make them accessible to the public. The creation of Mergelrijk allowed the fascinating history of the quarries to be combined with modern, interactive exhibitions and experiences, such as the 3D paintings and the opportunity to work with marl yourself.
The creators of MergelRijk wanted to share their stories, knowledge and love for the region in an innovative, accessible way. Different from what was already done in other caves. Until then, everyone was obliged to take a guided tour when visiting the caves. In MergelRijk, everyone can independently follow a route through the cave at their own pace, telling and depicting the most beautiful stories along the way in all kinds of ways. For instance, with specially made life-size sand sculptures and marl sculptures. Over the years, MergelRijk has expanded to include a DinoRijk, a spectacular dark quarry, a collaboration with the TV-famous Sand Wizard, a film room, Mosaquarium (with lifelike Mosasaurus), and a whole underground room with the surprising 3D cave paintings.
MergelRijk is now visited by many tens of thousands of visitors every year, of all ages and from all corners of the world. In November every year, MergelRijk is completely transformed into a Christmas atmosphere for the big Christmas in Valkenburg event, of which Christmas in MergelRijk is one of the most beautiful attractions.
MergelRijk has been named the nicest cave in Limburg by the ANWB in 2024.
