One of the most fun things to do during any visit to MergelRijk is to go and make your own souvenir from a block of marl. Working with marl is a super fun and creative experience, even if you might not be interested in sculpting or creating a work of art. This is because marl is a very soft limestone that is relatively easy to carve, which makes this activity suitable for everyone. Even for you!
Mergelrijk is an underground world of experience in Valkenburg, where you not only learn more about the history of the marl caves, but where you can also work with marl yourself. All visitors get the chance to work with this soft rock themselves and create their own work of art, such as a small statue or figure. Even if you only scratch your name, initials, letter or number into the block of marl, you will already have a nice memento of the Limburg caves!
It is a fun and educational way to learn more about the material while letting your own creativity run wild. It is definitely worth giving it a try!
Marl working is done in the Cave Workshop, a specially equipped workshop area in the cave, which you will encounter during your cave visit. After watching an instruction video, you can grab your own materials and a block of marl and get to work.
Be careful, because the marl block is so soft that it breaks easily when you hit it. But you can feel free to file something off it, scratch into it and draw on it. Enough possibilities to turn it into something fun.
And the best part: you get to take it home!
Here is a tip for when you have made your souvenir: once back home, you could spray your souvenir with a layer of varnish or hairspray. Then it will be better protected and there will be no more dust.
By the way, you do not need to book separately for the marl working. This is possible throughout your visit to the cave and is absolutely free!
A visit takes 1.5 hours on average, often a little longer with small children. REMEMBER: after 3pm, you cannot enter.
