For a city of its size, The Hague has an extraordinary museum line-up. The good news for visitors is that the best are compact and close together: you can see the Mauritshuis, Escher in Het Paleis and Panorama Mesdag in a single day without rushing — though we would not try to add the Kunstmuseum as well.
The big four
The Mauritshuis is the one unmissable museum. A 17th-century palace on the Hofvijver holds a collection of Dutch and Flemish paintings that is small in number but almost all first-rate: Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and View of Delft, Rembrandt’s The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp, Fabritius’s The Goldfinch, Paulus Potter’s The Bull and rooms of Jan Steen, Rubens and Frans Hals. Allow about one and a half hours.
The Kunstmuseum Den Haag, formerly the Gemeentemuseum, fills a 1930s building by H.P. Berlage with art from many centuries. It is best known for the world’s largest Mondrian collection, ending with Victory Boogie Woogie, but also has superb Delftware, fashion and changing exhibitions. Allow half a day.
Escher in Het Paleis shows the prints of M.C. Escher — tessellations, impossible buildings, endless staircases — in a former winter palace of Queen Emma on Lange Voorhout, with a floor of optical illusions at the top. Allow one to one and a half hours.
Panorama Mesdag is a single painting: a 360-degree view of Scheveningen in 1881, about 120 metres round, which you view from an artificial dune in the middle of the room. Allow about an hour.
Compared at a glance
Opening times and prices change, so treat the table as a planning aid and check the official websites before you go. Some museums close on Mondays and on a few public holidays.
| Museum | Best for | Time needed | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mauritshuis | Vermeer, Rembrandt, Golden Age art | ≈1.5 hours | Hofvijver, city centre |
| Kunstmuseum Den Haag | Mondrian, modern art, Delftware, fashion | ≈3 hours | Museum quarter, north-west of the centre |
| Escher in Het Paleis | Escher’s prints, optical illusions, families | ≈1–1.5 hours | Lange Voorhout, city centre |
| Panorama Mesdag | A 360° painting of Scheveningen in 1881 | ≈1 hour | Zeestraat, near the Peace Palace |
| Beelden aan Zee | Modern sculpture by the sea | ≈1–1.5 hours | Scheveningen boulevard |
| Gevangenpoort | A medieval prison gate | ≈1 hour (guided visit) | Buitenhof, city centre |
The smaller museums worth knowing
- Galerij Prins Willem V — an 18th-century picture gallery on the Buitenhof, hung frame to frame in period style. It belongs to the Mauritshuis and has often been included in its ticket; check when you book.
- Gevangenpoort — the old prison gate on the Buitenhof, visited on a guided tour, with stories of its prisoners and of the De Witt brothers, murdered outside in 1672.
- The Hague Historical Museum (Haags Historisch Museum) — the city’s own story, beside the Hofvijver. A good primer on how a count’s hunting lodge became the seat of government.
- Beelden aan Zee — modern and contemporary sculpture, built into the dune on the Scheveningen boulevard.
- Louwman Museum — a large private collection of historic cars, on the edge of the Haagse Bos park.
- Fotomuseum Den Haag — photography exhibitions in the same complex as the Kunstmuseum.
Tickets and passes
The Mauritshuis, Escher in Het Paleis, Panorama Mesdag, the Historical Museum and Beelden aan Zee can be booked through GetYourGuide; for the Kunstmuseum and the other museums, use their official sites. Dutch residents and frequent visitors use the Museumkaart, an annual pass accepted by most Dutch museums; it can be worth it for a long stay, but check the current terms for visitors. Many museums let children in free or at reduced rates.
Tips for a museum day
- Start at the Mauritshuis at opening time, before the crowds reach the Vermeer room.
- Pair museums by location: Mauritshuis + Galerij Prins Willem V + Escher in the centre; Panorama Mesdag + the Peace Palace visitor centre; Kunstmuseum + Fotomuseum.
- Large bags usually go in lockers; travel light.
- Check for temporary closures: the Mauritshuis has closed for several weeks for maintenance in the past, and masterpieces are occasionally lent abroad.
Combine your museum day with a canal cruise or an evening at Scheveningen, and see day trips for the Vermeer Centrum and Royal Delft in Delft.
