Culture

Best 8 museums in the Netherlands

11 May 2022

On any visit to the Netherlands you're probably going to experience some rain. But not to fear, there's still plenty to see indoors too.

Holland has the world’s highest density of museums and galleries. Although a small country, the number of high quality art venues turns Holland into a large district of wonder, presenting art in all its facets.

Whether the interest is for paintings, architecture, heritage, design, fashion, music or photography, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Maastricht and Utrecht are filled with venues packed to the brim with beautiful pearls, all waiting to be explored.

And the best part of this: Stayokay has hostels in all of these great cities. Below you can find a shortlist of museums. Pick the ones you like the most and book a Stayokay hostel as a base to go explore.

1. STRAAT museum, Amsterdam

In Amsterdam-North you will find the STRAAT museum. To get there, take the ferry from Amsterdam Central Station to the NDSM wharf. This museum is dedicated to graffiti and street art. A visit to this hip museum is quite impressive. There are more than 150 works of art to admire and these artworks are much larger than a normal painting! There is also a nice café in the museum where you can have a drink during your visit.

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2. Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht

This spectacular building on the River Maas is a key feature of the Maastricht skyline. Whether you go for the art or the 28-metre high zinc-covered cupola, it's most definitely worth seeing.

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3. Teylers Museum, Haarlem

Just outside of Amsterdam lies the charming smaller city of Haarlem, home to the oldest museum in the Netherlands! Among the collection you’ll find everything from fossils to ancient coins and scientific instruments, in addition to drawings and prints by Dutch and Italian masters

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4. Voorlinden, Den Haag (Wassenaar)

[Picture: Antoine van Kaam]

Museum Voorlinden can be found in Wassenaar, near The Hague. This cool museum introduces you to modern and contemporary art. The permanent collection consists of special pieces and a visit to this museum is a real experience!

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5. Centraal Museum, Utrecht

City history, old art, modern art, applied art and design, and fashion: these are the five pillars that come together in the Centraal Museum. With so much variation, this museum in Utrecht offers inspiration to everyone.

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6. Nemo Science Museum, Amsterdam

How do rainbows form? Why does your pullover crackle when you take it off? You'll find the answers to these questions and more at the NEMO Science Museum. And it's not just listening to boring teachers either; you'll learn through hands-on experiments, because NEMO is a great museum where learning comes from watching and doing.

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7. Kunsthal, Rotterdam

Rotterdam has so many renowned museums, it’s hard to choose which one to visit. But to keep things interesting, from art and fashion to photography and science: it’s always a surprise what you’ll find in the Kunsthal.

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8. Escher in Het Paleis, The Hague

The Hague is by peppered with palaces. One of these stands on Lange Voorhout and is entirely dedicated to the work of M.C. Escher

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