History museums in South Holland

The National Museum of Antiquities is housed in an old monumental building and ‘Begijnhof’. It is the Dutch centre for archaeology. A large part of the collection consists of objects related to ancient Egypt. Unique is the two thousand year old Egyptian temple in the central hall of the museum. Besi

With its scientific orientation and collecting history, Wereldmuseum Leiden focuses on global cultural histories. The themes you see here include religion or indigenous worlds and their struggle for independence and restoration of historical injustice. The exhibitions encourage us to reflect on what

Stedelijk Molenmuseum De Valk is housed in De Valk, a mill from 1743. The museum features the only preserved mill house in the Netherlands, from 1900. In the sleeping loft and the storage loft, the history and technology of mills and wheat grinding is illustrated. In the attic the visitor can see th

As a major port city, Rotterdam played an important role in the infrastructure of imperial and global movements of people, objects, and ideas. This identity is reflected at the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam through exhibitions and programming about the many people, histories, and cultures that shape and cr

In the Maritime Museum Rotterdam, you can discover the enormous effect that the maritime world has on our daily lives. Travel through the maritime past and present in modern exhibitions for adventurers large and small. Listen to stories and admire prize exhibits from our leading collection. The muse

Rijksmuseum de Gevangenpoort is a medieval prison in the city of The Hague. It consists of a courthouse, a cell block and a house for the jailer. The museum illustrates the story of crime and punishment throug the ages. It shows how prisoners were brought to trial, punished and imprisoned. The colle

Museum Prinsenhof Delft is one of the Top 100 UNESCO monuments in the Netherlands. The museum illustrates the story of William of Orange and his role in the formation of the Dutch Republic. It is situated at the place where he was killed. The museum exhibits paintings, historical artefacts, prints a

Museum De Lakenhal is the municipality museum of Leiden, that is housed in Leiden’s old cloth hall from 1640. It is the museum of arts, crafts and history of Leiden. The museum covers the history of Leiden from Leiden’s relief in 1574. Important in the museum are works by old masters such as Rembran

Kasteel Keukenhof is a castle from 1640. It was built as a mansion for the former commander of the VOC, Adriaen Maertensz. Block. In the 19th century, the towers were built, and the house became a castle. The various rooms are decorated with furniture from different style periods and years. The inte

The Jenever Museum is housed in a former wine and malt distillery. The museum covers everything about Jenever. The collection includes packaging, glassware and advertising. It illustrates the story of the history and background of Jenever. There is also a tasting room in the museum and a historic di

The museum is the house of the banker and collector Simon van Gijn who lived there from 1864 until his death in 1922. Van Gijn left the house and most of his collections to the Old Dordrecht Society. His wish was for the collections to be made publicly accessible and for his home to be converted int

The St. Lawrence Church is the only remaining monument in Rotterdam from the Middle Ages. Concerts, festivals, fairs and exhibitions are organized in this late-Gothic church. In addition, church services can also still take place. Each year a new, varied program is created. The permanent exhibition

Rijksmuseum Boerhaave is the Netherlands’ treasure chamber of science and medicine. What were the major discoveries in the history of science in the Netherlands? Who were the researchers behind them and how great is the impact of their discoveries on our lives today? Find out more about their inv

The Archeon is a theme park that shows how people lived in ancient times. Visitors can participate in various activities themselves, such as sword fighting, calligraphy and archery.

Museum Gouda recounts the history of this wonderful city. You will see, among other things, unique sixteenth century altarpieces, seventeenth century civic guard group portraits and Gouda pottery, which is famous all over the world. The museum is located in an old hospital, the Catharina Gasthuis. T

Muzee Scheveningen is a museum on natural and cultural history in Scheveningen which illustrates the culture, the history and the goings on in the city. The collection consists of a cultural history part and a biology part focused on the sea. The cultural history collection consists mainly of object

The Siebold House is housed in a monumental building that used to be used as the district court. The museum’s collection consists of objects that were collected by Philipp Franz von Siebold in the period 1823 – 1829 during his stay in the Dutch trading post Dejima. Siebold collected more than 25,000

The National Archive features objects from about a thousand years of history of the Netherlands. It has 125 kilometres of documents, 14 million photographs and 300,000 historical maps. In addition, the library features around 60,000 reference books. The National Archive organizes exhibitions in whic

Duivenvoorde Castle in the Village of Voorschoten is one of the oldest castles in South Holland. The rooms are decorated as if the castle is still inhabited. They are filled with objects such as Oriental and European porcelain, Delftware and silverware. Family portraits from the 16th and 17th centur

Museum Meermanno is housed in the former house of Baron Van Westreenen of Tiellandt. The museum is dedicated to books from both the present and the past. The permanent exhibition focuses on the development and the design of books. The museum features a 19th century book room, where incunabula, the e

In our museum in Dordrecht, you’ll discover how affluent citizens lived at the end of the 18th century. The style rooms on the ground floor are decorated in the Louis XVI style. The highlight of the museum is the round Maas Room with a view of the busiest three-river intersection in Europe.

Exhibitions are regularly held in the side aisles of St. Joseph's Church in Leiden. Exhibitions in recent years have included: 'On the Road to Damascus: The Beginning of a New Life' (2009), 'The Shroud of Turin' (2017), 'Mother Teresa: Her Life, Work, and Spirituality' (2018), the Icon Exhibition Pa

ProDemos is located opposite of the ‘Binnenhof’ in The Hague. It is the house of democracy and the ‘rechtsstaat’. Visitors learn about the rules of democracy and the ‘rechtsstaat’ and experience the functioning of politics, democracy and the ‘rechtsstaat’. The Visitors Centre ProDemos organizes tour

Historisch Museum Den Briel is housed in two historic buildings: the former state prison and weigh house and the town hall. In the museum the visitor relives the Eighty Years' War. On April 1, 1572, the ‘Watergeuzen’ defeated the Spaniards for the first time by capturing Brielle. In the museum, the

The Katwijk Museum has an international collection of paintings which it combines with a collection of local objects. The museum has a large collection of works from the artists' colony that emerged in Katwijk in the early 20th century. There is also a permanent exhibition on fishery in Katwijk thro

In Hof van Nederland you will experience how we in the Netherlands deal with our freedoms, then and now, told from different perspectives. On the basis of important historical events that are important for Dutch history and which largely took place in Dordrecht, the oldest city in Holland, you will

Museum De Schilpen is housed in a 16th century monumental building. The museum illustrates the history of grocery stores and living and working in Maasland in the 19th and 20th centuries. It features a shop and a house, a warehouse and a small rentier house. The store still has the original decorati

Openluchtmuseum De Duinhuisjes consists of four original dune farms with outbuildings from the period 1850 to 1910. During that time workers, gardeners and farmers lived in these simple houses. Three of the four houses are decorated as was common around 1900. In the fourth house changing exhibitions

In the eventful colonial history of the Netherlands, what we now know as Indonesia, the former Dutch East Indies occupies a prominent place. It is a history that spans more than 400 years. Museum Sophiahof is the place where the impact of the shared past is visible and tangible. Where you can experi

The Nationaal Brandweermuseum is housed in two former marine buildings from 1786. The museum exhibits a collection of firefighting equipment that was used in the Netherlands. The collection includes primitive tools from the 16th century to modern tools of the present. It includes old fire engines, s

The Huygens Museum comprises two historic sites located in the heart of Voorburg. The museum invites visitors to explore the diverse realms of history, art, and science. Spanning 2,000 years, its themes range from classical antiquity to the art and science of the 17th century, and from the modern wo

Museum Noordwijk is housed in a four hundred year old farmhouse. It is a museum on art, applied art and the history of Noordwijk. The collection includes Noordwijk costumes and paintings. The museum also has a large collection of ceramics made by porcelain factory ‘De Kroon’, including works by Henr

FENIX is located in a historic warehouse, right on the river Maas, on Katendrecht. It is a cultural place in Rotterdam. The place of departure and arrival. Where millions of Europeans left and just as many people arrived from all over the world. Fleeing or chasing love. In search of happiness or bet

Museum Vlaardingen is housed in the ‘Huis met den Lindeboom’, a former ‘redershuis’ from 1742. The museum illustrates the history and fishing culture of Vlaardingen. The collection consists of objects related to the North Sea and the history of the city, ship models, artefacts, paintings, drawings,

Rotterdams Radio Museum exhibits a collection of radios that cover a period of a hundred years. The collection includes the Nonera radio with ‘hoornluidspreker’, the first Corver crystal receiver and various gadgets. In addition to radios, the museum also covers television, hifi, computers and marin

The Spinoza House in Rijnsburg is one of the two houses where the Dutch philosopher Spinoza lived (the other is in The Hague). Spinoza moved to this house in 1661. The house contains a reconstruction of the library of Spinoza. The parchment and leather bindings form a unique collection of books. In

Museum Bisdom van Vliet is a ‘house museum’. The authentic decoration from the last quarter of the nineteenth century is still present in the house. The collection consists of various objects that can be found in similar mansions, such as paintings, furniture, glassware, silver objects, clocks and b

Museum of Grave Culture pays attention to the many and varied ways in which people have dealt with death and burial over the centuries. At the heart of the museum is a tomb laid out around 3400 B.C. and discovered during excavations in 1963.

The Historical Museum of The Hague is housed in a building from 1636 that was built for the gunners of the St. Sebastian's Guild. The museum is dedicated to the history of The Hague. The permanent collection includes paintings such as cityscapes from 1553 and silver and glass objects. In addition, t

Museum Engelandvaarders is dedicated to the approximately 2,500 men and women who tried to escape from the Netherlands to continue the fight from England against Nazi Germany and Japan. The museum shows the situations and dilemmas the Engelandvaarders and their helpers faced. It also focuses on the

The Huygens Museum comprises two historic sites located in the heart of Voorburg. The museum invites visitors to explore the diverse realms of history, art, and science. Spanning 2,000 years, its themes range from classical antiquity to the art and science of the 17th century, and from the modern wo

The Westlands Museum is dedicated to the history of Westland. The museum illustrates the story of the origins of the Westland, which starts in prehistoric times. The earliest traces of habitation date back to 3700 BC. Behind the museum is a historical garden with all types of greenhouses and crops f

In our Coolhaven location, you will experience what it means when your city is bombed. What does your life look like when you are persecuted and oppressed afterwards? An important part of the visit is the immersive Experience. You take your seat at an eight-meter-long touchscreen table. And before y

Museum De Zwarte Tulp provides an overview of five centuries flower bulbs culture. The collection includes tools, interiors of bulb businesses, drawings, photos and videos. The museum shows the cycle of bulb to flower to bulb and shows how bulbs are grown and how new species are created. The tulip m

The Nationaal Baggermuseum is dedicated to the history of the dredging industry. It illustrates the developments in the dredging industry by displaying historical and recent dredger models. The collection of the museum includes historical photographs, old prints and drawings and various objects from

Streekmuseum Krimpenerwaard is housed in a Low German House from the 17th century. The museum illustrates life and work in the Krimpenerwaard during the 19th and early 20th century. The collection consists of objects used in Krimpenerwaard for work in the countryside, household, industry and crafts.

The Belasting & Douane Museum (Tax & Customs Museum) is housed in two historic houses. It illustrates the history of tax and customs in the Netherlands. The diverse collection includes paintings, photographs, drawings, prints, uniforms, glassware, silver objects, games, smuggling objects and measuri

The National Cooperative Museum is dedicated to the history of the consumer cooperatives that were especially active between the two world wars. More than ten percent of the Dutch population was affiliated with a convenience store at the time. The collection includes books, brochures, minutes, perio

The Paul Tétar van Elven museum Is housed in a 16th century canal house. The house was inhabited by the Dutch painter, collector and teacher Paul Tetar van Elven in the period from 1864 to 1894. The property still has the well-preserved 19th century authentic interior, including Delft pottery, orien

The Sliedrechts Museum illustrates the history of Sliedrecht and Alblasserwaard. The museum features living rooms, a grocery store, a school and the shop of a shoemaker. In the industrial hall a collection of tools from the local industry is exhibited. It includes objects from rope makers. In additi

Museummolen De Nieuwe Palmboom is housed in ‘De Palmboom’, a windmill in Schiedam which was built in 1781 to grind raw materials for the production of jenever. The museum illustrates the history of mills of Schiedam and the production of grain into jenever. The museum also displays a model of the ci

The Forge Museum Nieuwkoop is located in picturesque, watery Nieuwkoop. A unique example of cultural and industrial heritage, this museum is dedicated to the history of the many smithies, which stood at Zuideinde in Nieuwkoop. Visitors here learn about the origins of the forges and the lives of the

Landbouwmuseum Tiengemeten is dedicated to the agricultural mechanization from 1920 to 1955. The museum illustrates the development of farming in that period. Agriculture was largely mechanized worldwide after the First World War. After 1920, the mechanization also slowly started in the Netherlands.

Museum De Timmerwerf is housed in a monumental building from 1642. Parts of the building date back to the 15th century. The museum is dedicated to carpentry and the history of De Lier. The collection illustrates life of carpenters through the years. In the backyard is a tearoom.

The Gorcums Museum is modern and contemporary: we reflect on history while also embracing everything happening today. Since 1995, we have been located at our current premises, but our history goes back much further. The museum is situated in the heart of the most beautiful fortified city in the Neth

Forge Museum Strijen is located in a former village forge with, at the back, an attached house. For centuries the building was used as a forge. Numerous old machines are also still present, including a forging hammer driven by an electric motor. Horses can still be shod in the stable in front of the

Wassenaar Fire Department Museum is located in the basement of De Paauw Town Hall. The museum has a complete collection of historical material from 300 years of firefighting in Wassenaar.

The ruin of Teylingen is the remnant of the 13th-century hunting lodge and timber fortress of the counts of Holland. During the Eighty Years' War, the castle was severely damaged. Around 1614, the tower was restored and a residence was built on the outer castle. During a visit, history comes alive.

Streekmuseum Goeree-Overflakkee is housed in a row of houses from the seventeenth century in the village of Sommelsdijk. The museum tells the story of 2,000 years of island history, in which trade was central.

Historical Museum Ter Aar is dedicated to the history of the town of Ter Aar. Among other things, the museum displays a grocery store and objects from horticulture and the auction. There is also a pram and two rowing boats with which market gardeners in the past brought their vegetables to the aucti

Streetcar Museum Rotterdam is located in streetcar depot Hillegersberg. The museum paints a picture of streetcar history using photographs and streetcar attributes such as uniforms and tickets. The museum also features several streetcars, including an old horse-drawn streetcar from 1880.

A private museum with stores from the 1950s to 1960s. The name was chosen with the idea of "the Key" to a step back in time from then.There is no website anymore. You can find us on facebook search for: Small museum the key

The museum shows how life was early 1900, in the new build "barn" additional themes are shown, ao, winter and ice scating, cheese in the area. Meeting rooms available.

Museum Dorpsbehoud Papendrecht is dedicated to the cultural history of Papendrecht. An important event in the history of the area was the crash of a British Lancaster bomber in 1944. The museum exhibits include items from the bomber and photographs of the crew.

The Hofje van Aerden is located on the Linge River. The museum has a unique collection of paintings by 17th-century Dutch masters, including by Frans Hals, Cornelis de Heem and Gerard ter Borgh. There is also an 18th-century outdoor kitchen, an original Rococo mirror and a cast-iron peat stove.

The Dutch Coastal Lighting Museum "In the Lighthouse" is housed in an 1893 lighthouse that served until 1974. The museum features a permanent exhibition on everything related to shipping.

The Hellevoetsluis Antiquities Room displays objects used in daily life throughout the centuries. Central to the museum is the maritime past. But agriculture is also discussed. The antiquities room is arranged thematically around topics such as school, work and shipping.

Streekmuseum Hoeksche Waard consists of the seventeenth-century farmhouse Oost-Leeuwenstein and the mansion "Hof van Assendelft. The museum shows how people used to work and live. In the museum the visitor gets to know the craftswoman, gentleman farmer, village doctor, craftsman, shopkeeper, farm wo

The Yi Jun Peace Museum is a tribute to Korean independence fighter and diplomat Yi Jun and reminder of the broader goal of world peace. Among other things, the museum displays a collection of letters from world leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

In the heart of The Hague’s historic centre, you'll discover the hidden treasure of Van Kleef. Founded in 1842, we are the sole surviving jenever and liqueur distillery that continues to operate to this day. We showcase a wide and enticing selection of local liquors and liqueurs, each one based on a

The Loosduins Museum De Korenschuur paints a picture of the history of the horticultural village of Loosduinen through historical horticultural tools, paintings, documentation and various other objects. Three times a year the museum organizes a new exhibition.

The Jan van Goyen house is part of the 'Buitenmusuem' in The Hague.

In the old centre of Delft at Koornmarkt 66 a unique collection of ancient medical, nursing, dental and pharmaceutical instruments is displayed to the public. After 50 years of collecting medical and pharmaceutical items, the foundation” De Griffioen” was founded. The museum provides an insight in t

The Nieuwe Kerk in the city of Delft, is, with its 108.75 meter tower, the church with the highest church tower in the Netherlands, after the Dom Tower in Utrecht. The church is known for the Praalgraf of Willem van Oranje.

The Oude Kerk in Delft is one of the two large old churches in Delft, in the Dutch province of South Holland; the other large old church in Delft is the Nieuwe Kerk. The Oude Kerk dates from 1246.

Fort 1881, the former Fort aan den Hoek of Holland, was built in 1881 to defend the entrance to the Nieuwe Waterweg and the port of Rotterdam due to war threats. It is the best preserved armored fort in the Netherlands. There was never any fighting, but the fort played a crucial role in World War II

In Museummolen De Walvisch (Museum Mill De Walvisch) you will get acquainted with the giant malt or burner mills of Schiedam that exclusively milled for the gin industry. They are the highest mills in the world.

Discover the extraordinary home of Lambert van Meerten. This successful industrialist was an enthusiastic collector of old building fragments, furniture, and Delftware. His collection grew to such an extent that he had a house built especially for it. Also today some of Lambert's extraordinary col

Enter chic Hague living! Huis De Quack is an artistic mansion, and one of the first chic mansions built in a row in the Netherlands! Architect and decorative artist Jan De Quack bought the building in 1902 and radically renovated it according to contemporary ideas. This resulted in, for example, a r

The museum has continued as a Knowledge Center with an office at another location (Oud Wulfseweg 1, 3992 LT Houten). One can ask questions there or consult the collections via the website.

The Literary Museum (Literatuurmuseum) is dedicated to Dutch literature and Dutch authors. It pays a tribute to the literary heritage of the Netherlands. The collection of the museum consists of various objects related to the life and work of literary authors, including manuscripts, love letters, il

Museum De Koperen Knop is housed in a 17th century farmhouse on a hill. The museum consists of a main building, several outbuildings and a museum garden. The museum illustrates the history of the Albasserwaard. The front house is decorated as a chic farmhouse with kitchen, upstairs room, library, ‘r

The Mariniersmuseum illustrates the role of marines in the Netherlands over the centuries. The story of the Marine Corps starts in 1665, at the Battle of Chatham. Among other things, the museum covers that battle and the battle of East Java. In addition, the museum has exhibitions on drummers and pi

Museum Rijswijk is housed in a stately mansion from 1790. The museum has a collection of paintings, drawings and prints from the 17th century to the present made by artists from Rijswijk. Unique is the only known 17th century ‘Gezicht op Rijswijk’, a work by Jacob van der Croos. The museum also has

Streekmuseum Jan Anderson is dedicated to the history of Vlaardingen. Crafts get a lot of attention at the museum. Among other things, it shows a blacksmith shop, a painting workshop, a school class, a shoemaking shop and a polishing corner. In addition, the museum displays photographs, prints and s

Gemeentemuseum Maassluis illustrates the history of Maassluis and exhibits art. The collection includes paintings, drawings, textiles, objects related to daily life and various handicrafts and models of fishing boats and buildings. The core of the art collection comprises works by figurative artist

At Historyland, you embark on a journey through time. Travel back millions of years to the age of the giant dinosaurs, or to the more recent era of the mammoths. In the museum, you will learn all about these impressive creatures in the 'Mammoth Steppe' exhibition. Admire prehistoric fossils and repl

Streekmuseum Veldzicht is housed in a farmhouse from 1864. The village of Noordwijk has an agricultural past. In the late Middle Ages it was a centre for the cultivation of herbs. Farmers had an old Dutch breed of cow, named Blaarkop and around 1850 the floriculture was important for the village. Th

Historisch Museum Capelle is located in the J.A. Beijerinck pumping station. The museum organizes exhibitions on historical subjects related to Capelle. In the ‘Regentenkamer’ the visitor learns about the history of Capelle. Old photos and other images are exhibited here. The museum also features th

The Leiderdorps Museum is dedicated to both the old and the recent history of Leiderdorp and surroundings. The collection includes photographs, documents and various models. Special themed exhibitions, historical objects, educational activities, lectures and a film and photo archive illustrate this

Museum Voorschoten is housed in a historical building. The front section dates from the end of the 17th century. The museum is dedicated to the municipality of Voorschoten, with focus on its history. The museum’s exhibitions are related to the people, objects and events of Voorschoten. The History o

Museum Oud Overschie illustrates the history of Overschie and its surroundings. The collection consists of over 20,000 photographs, more than a hundred paintings, drawings and prints and thousands of historical objects from 1850 to 1950. The museum regularly focusses on various crafts such as a blac

De Koffietuin is located in a farmhouse, parts of which are from 1610. The museum exhibits various objects related to coffee, with special focus on the roasting, grinding, making and serving of coffee. The museum displays photographs of the coffee picking at the plantation in Indonesia. In addition,

Museum in den Halven Maen exhibits a collection of old objects. It mainly consists of tobacco related objects, hats, old groceries, clothing and cans. The objects are housed in a grocery store, an old Dutch old-fashioned candy store, a ‘hoedenzolder’, a small square and a cafe. In addition, the muse

Historisch Museum het Stadhuis is located in a historical building. The museum illustrates the history of the municipality of Liesveld that consists of Langerak, Groot-Ammers, Nieuwpoort and Streefkerk. The collection consists of various historical objects of the municipality of Liesveld, including

The Museum van Hemessen is located on the second floor of the former fire department garage. The museum is named after the field ranger of Woubrugge who assembled most of the museum's collection in the years 1890 to 1924. The museum exhibits include postcards, photographs archaeological finds and sh

The Feyenoord Museum tells the many stories that make Feyenoord the glorious club it is today. From the first national championship in 1924 to the most recent cup win in 2016. And from the Kromme Zandweg to the many historic nights at De Kuip.

The Antiquities and Polder Museum in Nieuwkoop focuses on local history, with the main theme being peat and peat extraction. Here tools and utensils are exhibited. The museum also shows the flora and fauna of the area. A visit to the museum offers insight into the origins and changes of the landscap

The Tower Museum paints a picture of regional agriculture, fishing and shipping. Goedereede was very prosperous in the past and was known as a trading town with a lot of shipping and fishing. Notable is the magnificent tower built in the years 1467 - 1512. From this time, the museum exhibits include

Museum of Crafts is a small museum where three small historic buildings display various old tools of different trades, a worker's cottage and a chapel.

The Dunne Bierkade and Paviljoensgracht are special. Unique that over the centuries so many famous painters lived in houses of the Outdoor Museum. Two Golden Centuries of painting originated here. In both the 17th and 19th centuries, this was the hotbed of creativity. Experience the Golden Ages at t

In Kijkduin, the foundation has made part of the Widerstandsnest 67 HL complex accessible. Approximately 130 meters of tunnel and 6 bunkers will eventually be on view. Part of the corridor system can be visited.