Galerij Prins Willem V
The first public picture gallery in the Netherlands (1774) on the Buitenhof: more than 150 Old Masters from the Mauritshuis, hung frame to frame.
About the museum
From 1766, Stadtholder Willem V housed his growing collection of paintings in rooms on the Buitenhof in The Hague, right next to the Binnenhof. In 1774 he had them arranged as a gallery and opened it to visitors – an unusual step for the time that made the gallery the first publicly accessible museum in the Netherlands.
About two decades later, French troops seized the paintings and took them to Paris, where many were displayed in the Louvre. After the most important works were returned, King Willem I gave the collection to the state; it formed the core of the Mauritshuis, which opened in 1822.
Today the gallery belongs to the Mauritshuis. In the long hall hang more than 150 paintings from its collection – including works by Jan Steen, Peter Paul Rubens, and Huygh Pietersz Voskuyl – frame to frame from the baseboard to the ceiling in the 18th-century manner. Access is through the entrance shared with the Gevangenpoort prison museum. With its own ticket and opening hours, the intimate gallery is easy to combine with a visit to the nearby Mauritshuis.
Highlights
- The first public museum in the Netherlands (1774)
- More than 150 Old Master paintings in a historic salon-style (Petersburg) hang
- Works by artists including Jan Steen and Peter Paul Rubens
- Combine with the Mauritshuis on a combination ticket
Permanent exhibitions
- Galerij Prins Willem V – Old Master paintings from the Mauritshuis collection, hung as in an 18th-century princely gallery.
- Founded
- 1774
- Operated by
- Stichting Koninklijk Kabinet van Schilderijen Mauritshuis
- Director
- Martine Gosselink
- Visitors per year
- approx. 19,334 (2025)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2.50Students and CJP cardholders |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 18 · Children and teens up to and including age 18 free |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Companions of people with disabilities free |
| Students & apprentices | €2.50 |
| Groups (15+ people) | €5.75 per personFrom 15 adults |
| Combination ticket Mauritshuis + Galerij Prins Willem V | €24 |
Free with the Museumkaart; also free with the Rembrandtpas, ICOM, VriendenLoterij VIP card, Ooievaarspas, and for Vrienden van het Mauritshuis. Tickets at the gallery’s ticket desk or online; Museumkaarten are not sold at the gallery.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 18 |
|---|
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Free admission up to age 18. The Mauritshuis’s “Vogelspotroute” (bird-spotting route, available at its service desk) includes the gallery.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
About a 15-minute walk from Den Haag Centraal station; around 5–10 minutes from the Mauritshuis along the Hofvijver.
By car
The Mauritshuis recommends the Pleingarage or the Museumkwartier parking garage.
Entrance at Buitenhof 33, shared with Museum Gevangenpoort.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
Up to 30 guests.
Exclusive dinners for up to 30 people surrounded by the paintings, booked through the Mauritshuis.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 45 min |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Group tour of the gallery (max. 15 people, €65 per guide) Tue–Sun at 12:30 and 15:30; book through the Mauritshuis at least three weeks in advance. Entrance shared with the Gevangenpoort. |
