Fotomuseum Den Haag

About the museum

The Fotomuseum Den Haag was established in 2002 as an independent venue, after the photography collection of The Hague's Kunstmuseum had grown so large that it needed a home of its own. The then director of the Kunstmuseum, Wim van Krimpen, drove the founding. The Fotomuseum sits directly next to the Kunstmuseum and shares an entrance with KM21, the house for contemporary art founded the same year.

The roots go back to the late 1950s: the museum in The Hague was among the first in the Netherlands to show photography as an art form. Director Louis Wijsenbeek briefly brought World Press Photo to the museum, and in 1956 the New Yorker Peter Fink became the first photographer to receive a solo exhibition. His work stands in the tradition of humanist post-war photography, which remains a core part of the collection and exhibition policy to this day.

Since its founding there have been survey and thematic shows on Man Ray, Emmy Andriesse, Sally Mann, Anton Corbijn, Erwin Olaf, Judith Joy Ross and Robin de Puy, among others. The museum explicitly regards photography as art and wants to offer space and calm for looking at images attentively, in their layers and in their context.

Highlights

• Humanist photography as the collection's focus
• Changing exhibitions on photographers from Man Ray to Erwin Olaf
• Shared entrance with KM21, right next to the Kunstmuseum
• Restaurant Gember with a terrace by the pond between the museums

Founded

2002

Admission & discounts

Free with Museumkaart and Rembrandtkaart; also free with Ooievaarspas, Rotterdampas, Museumvrienden, ICOM, AICA press card and VriendenLoterij VIP card. Please show cards in physical form or as a digital Museumkaart with a barcode in the app; copies or photos are not accepted. During the current main exhibition (until 31 January 2027), regular prices increase by €2.50 (young people, students and CJP holders by €1.50; Museumkaart holders also pay €2.50). Tickets online or at the ticket desk.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Ramp at the entrance with a steep gradient (5.2–8.7%); staff will assist. Central lift to all levels, another lift at the back of the exhibition halls. Accessible toilet on the ground floor (door width 87 cm, little turning space). Some heavy doors, staff will open them on request; limited seating. Rollz Motion (rollator-wheelchair combination) available to borrow, reservation recommended on +31 70 338 12 19. Two accessible parking spaces at the neighbouring Kunstmuseum (about 100 m), free with a disability parking permit. Tram 17 is accessible (about 50 m from the entrance); bus 24 is for wheelchairs only, not for scooters.

Kids & families

Admission free up to and including 18 years. School programme "Ontdek het Fotomuseum" for primary school grades 6–8.

Getting there & parking

By car via the Utrechtsebaan towards Kijkduin, then follow the signs for "Kunstmuseum". Because of roadworks at the Hubertustunnel, check the current traffic situation before travelling.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop
• Lockers

Restaurant Gember (Tuesday–Sunday 10 am–6 pm, coffee, lunch and drinks) with a terrace by the pond between the photography museum and the art museum, also open to visitors without a museum ticket. Museum shop accessible without a ticket. Lockers with combination locks. Card payment (credit and debit card) possible.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit