Visiting Mauritshuis

About Mauritshuis

This 17th-century palace on the Hofvijver holds a focused collection of Dutch Golden Age painting, including Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring and View of Delft, Rembrandt's The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp and Carel Fabritius's The Goldfinch. Its size makes it possible to see properly in two hours.

Tip: Go at opening time or in the last hour, when Girl with a Pearl Earring has the smallest crowd.

Plan your visit

• Time needed: 2 hours.
• Cost: Mid-priced.
• Book ahead: Timed tickets bought online help on weekends and in school holidays.
• Where: Centrum and the Hofvijver, government buildings, the Mauritshuis and terraces on the Plein and Grote Markt.

Best time to visit Mauritshuis

Mauritshuis is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:

• November: 10°C (50°F) highs, about 13 rainy days, quiet crowds.
• December: 7°C (45°F) highs, about 13 rainy days, moderate crowds.
• January: 6°C (43°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds.

When to visit The Hague has the full month-by-month picture.

Fit it into your trip

Our 3-day The Hague itinerary visits Mauritshuis on day 1, together with Hofvijver and Binnenhof and Gevangenpoort.

• No. 1 of the 17 sights in our The Hague things-to-do list.
• Day 1 of the 1-day plan.
• Day 1 of the 2-day plan.
• One of the picks in museums in The Hague.
• One of the picks in historic sites in The Hague.

Near Mauritshuis

Also in Centrum and the Hofvijver, so you can walk between them:

• Hofvijver and Binnenhof — 30 minutes, free
• Gevangenpoort — 1 hour, mid-priced

If you like Mauritshuis

• Kunstmuseum Den Haag — Statenkwartier, 2–3 hours
• Escher in Het Paleis — Hofkwartier and Noordeinde, 1.5 hours
• Panorama Mesdag — Zeeheldenkwartier, 1 hour
• Louwman Museum — Mariahoeve, 2 hours

Staying near Mauritshuis

Stay in Centrum and the Hofvijver ($$$) to walk here: government buildings, the Mauritshuis and terraces on the Plein and Grote Markt. All areas to stay in The Hague.

Questions travellers ask