an art lover’s visit to an underrated city

Why visit The Hague? I’ll give you one reason: one of the most famous works of art in the world is located in one of the museums there.

The 200-year-old Mauritshuis is an art museum in the centre of this Netherlands City, and it is the home of Vermeer’s The Girl with a Pearl Earringa famous painting from the Dutch Golden Age. While it’s not quite as famous as the Mona Lisa, it’s certainly one of the few paintings that comes close to that name.

The young girl in the painting, who thanks to the Feature film 2003 starring Scarlett Johansson – wears a blue and yellow turban and turns her head to look over her shoulder at the viewer. It offers a very mystical atmosphere, very similar to that of Da Vinci’s masterpiece in Paris.

A key difference between the two museums, however, is the number of people the artworks attract. While at the Louvre you have to fight tooth and nail to see even a few seconds of the Mona Lisa, at the Mauritshuis there is no such jostling for entry.

But that’s not to say Vermeer’s most famous painting doesn’t draw crowds—when I visited, it was quite busy and people had to wait patiently to take a selfie with the cover image. Girl — it’s just that there is a lot much quieter experience than the encounter with Da Vinci’s mysterious figure.

Quieter is also a good description for a visit to The Hague compared to its more well-trodden neighbour, Amsterdam.

While 20 million people visit Amsterdam every year – so many that local authorities now Actively encourage people to stay away — The Hague remains largely under the radar and is far from being inundated.

For art lovers it is a blessing travel because The Hague (to use the Dutch name) has a centuries-old, rich cultural and artistic heritage.

As the seat of the Dutch government and royal family, the city has long been an influential centre, attracting artists, thinkers and visionaries. The Hague’s artistic heritage is closely linked to the history of the Dutch Golden Age, when the city was a centre for painters whose works now define the era.

Yet in this small, compact city, the old masters also meet more modern creatives. A strong contemporary art ecosystem has developed, with a network of galleries and cultural institutions, art festivals, residencies and public art commissions that together give this city a palpable artistic atmosphere. The Hague’s reputation as the “administrative” centre of the Netherlands makes the city seem much paler than it actually is.

So it will come as no surprise that there are also plenty of great museums and art galleries here. And some of them – like the aforementioned Mauritshuis – are truly world-class.

Here are the three museums I think you must visit on your next trip to The Hague to satisfy your art needs—and the reasons I loved them so much on my last adventure.

A small Dutch palace on a huge lake in the heart of the city, the Mauritshuis is breathtaking from the moment you walk in. But once you walk through the doors, it has an even bigger wow factor.

Following a massive £24 million refurbishment in 2014, it is now a world-class museum for the 21st century, which has brought out its majestic and elegant 17th century interiors (which, just to be clear, are fully intact) to even greater effect.

While Vermeer’s The Girl with a Pearl Earring is the big attraction, there are many other Dutch masterpieces in its 250 works of art collection. Rembrandt’s The anatomy lesson from Dr. Nicolaes Tulp is a dramatic depiction of a section from 1632 and is considered one of his most important group works.

Carel Fabritius’ The Goldfinch is also on display, a small but poignant painting of a delicate pet that is considered the most viewed bird in the entire history of art. My favorite work, however, was another work by Vermeer: ​​1660 View of Delft. I was amazed that color could represent daylight, like looking out a window. I was even more amazed that this was possible over 350 years ago.

I recommend stopping off at the chic – if somewhat boring – Mauritshuis Brasserie to take in everything you’ve seen. With a glass of bubbly, of course.

If you’re more interested in modern and contemporary art, head straight to this peculiar and incredibly large palace filled with 20th-century icons. This Art Deco gallery is further out of the city center than other locations (though it’s within walking distance), but it’s massive and absolutely worth the trip.

You can try to use the map to find your way, but I gave up on that a long time ago and have gained more experience for it. As I walked through the labyrinthine halls, I discovered works of art by absolute masters in every new gallery and on every corner. There are Monet, Picasso, Kandinsky, Sol Lewitt, Francis Bacon, Louise Bourgeois, Yayoi Kusama, Egon Schiele, Bridget Riley, Nam June Paik, Ann Veronica Janssens and many, many more. Just lose yourself in it all.

I couldn’t believe it when I walked into a gallery and suddenly found myself standing in front of Rodin’s painting. The Bronze Age, and was completely alone with it. Yes, there are several versions of this iconic work around the world, but there are few other museums where you can experience it in complete solitude. Another plus point for The Hague’s small crowds.

This unusual art gallery is located in one of The Hague’s most unusual neighborhoods. You wouldn’t know it in the city center, but technically the city is on the coast (reached by a short tram ride). While the eleven-kilometer-long sandy beach is beautiful, the neighborhood around it – Scheveningen – is a bit of a clash of faded Victorian glamour and cheap modern overdevelopment, so it’s a surprise to find a very impressive exhibition space and outdoor sculpture park here.

As the only Dutch museum dedicated exclusively to contemporary international sculpture, Beelden aan Zee will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2024. Its light, airy galleries will host a surprising number of high-quality exhibitions by big names. The building consists of made of sand-colored materials and seems to merge with the dunes and sink into them.

However, its truly impressive unique selling point is the multi-level outdoor terraces with dozens of sculptures and views of the North Sea. The refreshing sea breeze definitely blows here. But even though it is surrounded by buildings, you feel like you are in an art oasis that is good for both the soul and the lungs.

• Arrival | Fly to Rotterdam The Hague Airport from many European destinations, including London City Airport. Eurostar trains run daily from London St Pancras International to Amsterdam, with direct and regular services to The Hague in around 50 minutes.

• Where to stay | A former bank building from the 1920s now houses the warm and stylish Voco The Hague. The location is perfect – just a few minutes walk to the Mauritshuis and a tram stop right outside the door taking you to both Scheveningen and the nearby city of Delft.

• Where to eat | Carpet Is a former bookshop that has been transformed into a beautiful, stylish setting where you can enjoy Spanish small plates and Mediterranean-inspired dishes. For a more affordable dinner, try the delicious Italian restaurant of Vincenzo’s.

• Where to drink | Head to Oude Molstraat, a cobbled street lined with bars that gets crowded in the summer, giving the area a southern European feel rather than a northern one. An added bonus is that it’s one of the oldest streets in the city.

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