Activities in Den Haag

1. What to do

Start in the old centre, around the Plein and the Hofvijver pond. The Binnenhof is the medieval complex where Dutch politics has sat for centuries, with the Ridderzaal (Hall of Knights) in the middle. Since 1 October 2021, the Binnenhof has been under renovation. Access is therefore restricted, and the inner courtyard cannot be freely visited. During the renovation, the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives) sits temporarily at Bezuidenhoutseweg 67, near Centraal Station, and the Eerste Kamer (Senate) and the Council of State at the Lange Voorhout. ProDemos, the House for Democracy and the Rule of Law, runs guided tours of the temporary parliament. Check with ProDemos what is possible on the day of your visit.

On the Plein itself stands the Mauritshuis, in a seventeenth-century town palace on the Hofvijver. The museum shows Dutch painting from the Golden Age, including Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring and work by Rembrandt. On the Lange Voorhout, within walking distance, is Escher in Het Paleis, with work by graphic artist M.C. Escher in a former winter palace. The Kunstmuseum Den Haag shows modern art, including work by Mondrian. A few streets away stands Panorama Mesdag: a single round painting of Scheveningen in 1881 that surrounds you completely. It is the oldest panorama still on show in its original setting.

On the other side of the centre, towards Scheveningen, stands the Peace Palace on Carnegieplein. The building houses the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. It is a working court building, not an ordinary museum: visitors can go to the visitor centre. Check the Peace Palace site for what is open.

In Scheveningen itself, everything starts at the beach. Scheveningen is an old fishing village that grew into a seaside resort, with a wide sandy beach, a boulevard, a pier and the Kurhaus as its landmark. Muzee Scheveningen tells the story of the fishing village and the resort, and Museum Beelden aan Zee, near the Kurhaus, is devoted entirely to sculpture. For children there is Madurodam, the miniature park with Dutch buildings and landscapes at a scale of 1:25, on the edge of Scheveningen.

For a quieter beach, go to Kijkduin, Den Haag's second beach on the west side of the city. The beach there is wider and quieter than in Scheveningen, with dunes to walk in and beach pavilions along the boulevard. Between the centre and the coast are parks and dune areas, such as the Westbroekpark in the Scheveningen district, where you can walk without leaving the city.

End a day in the city on the Plein, the Grote Markt or the Lange Voorhout, where the centre's terraces and cafés are. Those are also the streets where you get to know the old city best on foot.

2. Seasonal notes

The beach season sets the rhythm of Scheveningen and Kijkduin. In the warm months, the beach, the boulevard and the beach clubs are at their busiest, and the beach is the centre of the city. Outside summer, the beaches are quieter and well suited to long walks along the sea and through the dunes.

The museums around the Plein and the Lange Voorhout can be visited all year round and are a good plan for a cold or rainy day. On 1 January, swimmers traditionally take the New Year's dive in Scheveningen: a short, cold dip in the sea to start the new year. It is a spectacle to watch, not an activity you need to sign up for.

3. Practical notes

• This page gives no opening hours and no entry prices. They change and differ per museum and per season. Always check the official site of the museum or attraction itself before you go.
• The Binnenhof is not freely accessible during the renovation. Do not count on walking into the courtyard or the Ridderzaal just like that; go through ProDemos, or see the complex from outside, from the Plein and the Hofvijver.
• The Peace Palace is a workplace for international judges. Visitors are welcome in the visitor centre, but not just like that in the courtrooms.
• The North Sea is not a calm sea. Swim only where there is supervision, and watch the current and the wind, especially in Scheveningen and Kijkduin. On the beach, wind and sand are part of the deal, even on a fine day.
• The centre is easy on foot, but the distance from the centre to Scheveningen is too far for a quick walk. Take the tram or a bike.
• This page is general information. The site does not check attractions, opening hours or prices, and guarantees nothing about a particular activity on a particular day.