Planning a day in the Hague? Rest assured, you’re in good hands! I live in the area, and this is what I would suggest friends to see. Luckily (mostly) everything is concentrated around the city center and within walkable distance, so you only really need one day to see the top sites!
Louwman museum
Start at the Hague Train station and catch bus 144 to the Louwman museum. The bus leaves the train station every day at around 9:24 am, and goes every 30 minutes. If you like classic cars (and all things car related), you’re in for a real treat at the Louwman museum!
Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-5pm. Mondays closed!
Ticket prices: here.
Suggested time to spend in the museum: 2 Hours
Good to know: There is a really cute atmospheric restaurant / tea room where you can relax a bit after your long stroll in the museum!
Will kids like it? Yes! I’m pretty sure kids will love the Louwman museum. Shiny vehicles in all sorts of weird shapes and sizes. What’s not to love about it?
Check out the Louwman museum’s website here for more information.
From Louwman just take the same bus back in the opposite direction to the train station, and from here walk to the Escher museum.
If cars are not your thing, then simply start your day trip in the Hague at the Escher Museum!
Escher in Het Paleis
Escher needs no introduction. At this museum you will see some creativity that will blow your mind away!
Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-5pm, and the cash register closes at 16:30. Mondays closed!
Ticket prices here.
Suggested time to spend in the museum: 2 Hours
Good to know: A Dutch Museum Card is not valid at this museum!
Will kids like it? I think kids over 10 will enjoy this more than younger kids.
In 2015 the public learned that many of the prints at the museum were copies, scanned from original prints and printed onto the same type of paper that Escher used. According to the director of ‘Het Haagse Museum’, this is common practice to ensure that the originals can survive as long as possible.
Photo Stop: Houses of Parliament
From the Escher Museum walk to the Binnenhof and take a picture at this popular photo spot at Hofvijver lake.
The Binnenhof is among the oldest Parliament buildings which is still in use today. Here behind the fountain, you’ll find the houses of Parliament and the office of the Prime minister. The Binnenhof was built in the 13th century and became the political center in 1584.
After your photo stop navigate your way to Mauritshuis! The walk is about 2 minutes.
Mauritshuis
You’ve never heard of the Mauritshuis? Understandable! While not listed among the great art museums around the world, this relatively small museum where only around 250 paintings are exhibited, really packs a punch!
Some of the most famous paintings in the world can be found here. Think Vermeer’s Girl with the pearl earring and View over Delft as well as Rembrandt’s Anatomical lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp. But don’t just veer off immediately to those world-famous paintings.
Every single painting in the Mauritshuis (in my opinion!) is beautiful. And if you’re on the second floor, check out if the Prime Minister is at work. His office is in the little round tower right next to the Mauritshuis on the pond.
Opening times: Monday 1-6pm, Tuesday to Sunday 10am-6pm
Ticket prices here.
Suggested time to spend in the museum: 2 Hours
Good to know: You will need a ticket with a reserved time slot to visit the museum.
Will kids like it? Younger kids will not likely enjoy this museum.
PS: A recent visit to the Mauritshuis inspired me to write a post about cute museum outfits which you can read more about here, in case you like fashion topics;)
Snack Break!
After seeing all these museums you must be hungry by now! The Netherlands is famous for fries and potatoes. Why not try the gourmet fry version at Frites Atelier? The place is really quite popular in the Hague with locals and tourists alike! It’s not far from the Mauritshuis and the stroll to get there through the shopping streets is quite enjoyable as well!
If you don’t like fries, then not to worry! You will also find lots of restaurants around the Mauritshuis as well.
After a little break we are on to the next stop– Panorama Mesdag!
Panorama Mesdag Museum
At Panorama Mesdag you can see a 360 degree painting of Scheveningen beach in 1880. The painting is a whopping 120 meters long and 14 meters high! It is quite an experience to gaze at the painting from the viewing deck while listening to recorded sounds of the ocean and birds!
Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-5pm. Mondays closed!
Suggested time to spend in the museum: 30 minutes
Good to know: There are often extra interesting activities at the museum which you can learn more about here. The painting also makes a really nice backdrop for photos!
Will kids like it? Yes! It’s a pretty awesome experience to see a whole beach town painted inside a dome!
Extra activities to do with kids
Traveling with kids? Then I would suggest shortening your visit to some of the museums (or skipping them entirely!). Kids will enjoy the Louwman museum for and Panorama Mesdag as well. Escher in het Paleis and Mauritshuis is more for the adult crowd.
Head over to Scheviningen where you can spend some time on the beach and visit Madurodam. Kids will love posing at the 1:25 scale model replicas of some of Holland’s famous landmarks and cities. For more fun activities check out my suggestion below:)
Hope you found this itinerary useful for when you plan your day trip to the Hague!
Sincerely,
Elaine
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