Mauritshuis
One of the greatest art galleries in The Netherlands the Mauritshuis was once the residence of Count Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen, a scion of the ruling House of Orange. This small but delightful neoclassical mansion from 1637 sits astride the Hofvijver lake just outside the Binnenhof complex. In recent years, a modern foyer and underground galleries were added to connect the museum with the newer Art Deco-style Royal Dutch Shell Wing, more than doubling exhibition space.
The Mauritshuis houses a stunning collection of 15th- to 18th-century Low Countries art donated to the nation by King Willem I in 1816. More than 200 works are on display by luminaries including Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Jan Vermeer, Jan Steen, Peter Paul Rubens, and Hans Holbein. The standout pieces from a standout collection are Rembrandt’s “The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp” (1632), Vermeer’s meticulous “View of Delft” (ca. 1660), and his iconic “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (ca. 1660). Also among the highlights is “The Goldfinch” by the little-known artist and pupil of Rembrandt Carel Fabritius; the miniscule artwork was the basis for Donna Tartt’s 2014 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name.
The Galerij Prins Willem V (Buitenhof 33; 📞 070/302-3435; Tues–Sun noon–5pm) is a separate annex to the Mauritshuis. There are few internationally known works, but look out for Jan Steen’s shiver-inducing “The Toothpuller” (1651), and give thanks for modern dentistry techniques.
One of the greatest art galleries in The Netherlands the Mauritshuis was once the residence of Count Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen, a scion of the ruling House of Orange. This small but delightful neoclassical mansion from 1637 sits astride the Hofvijver lake just outside the Binnenhof complex. In recent years, a modern foyer and underground galleries were added to connect the museum with the newer Art Deco-style Royal Dutch Shell Wing, more than doubling exhibition space.
The Mauritshuis houses a stunning collection of 15th- to 18th-century Low Countries art donated to the nation by King Willem I in 1816. More than 200 works are on display by luminaries including Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Jan Vermeer, Jan Steen, Peter Paul Rubens, and Hans Holbein. The standout pieces from a standout collection are Rembrandt’s “The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp” (1632), Vermeer’s meticulous “View of Delft” (ca. 1660), and his iconic “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (ca. 1660). Also among the highlights is “The Goldfinch” by the little-known artist and pupil of Rembrandt Carel Fabritius; the miniscule artwork was the basis for Donna Tartt’s 2014 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name.
The Galerij Prins Willem V (Buitenhof 33; 📞 070/302-3435; Tues–Sun noon–5pm) is a separate annex to the Mauritshuis. There are few internationally known works, but look out for Jan Steen’s shiver-inducing “The Toothpuller” (1651), and give thanks for modern dentistry techniques.
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