Whether by bicycle, tram, or car, Museum Rijswijk is a 15-minute trip from Den Haag's city centre, but a world away by any other measure. Sure, you're still in Holland. Some might argue (like me) that you're still in Den Haag. But Oude Rijswijk is what the most popular parts of the oldest neighbourhoods in Holland would look like if there were zero tourists and only locals. That might be reason enough to check it out!
Museum Rijswijk sits in the centre of Oude Rijswijk, a neighbourhood full of old-growth trees, streets of cobblestone and brick, mom 'n pop bakers and artisans, and of course several cafes. A walk around the neighbourhood is worth a full day in and of itself. But the museum is a fine example of what makes Dutch museums often so worthwhile: a commitment to the local. You likely won't find a Vermeer or a Van Gogh on display here. But you will find an enormous and well-preserved collection of art, poetry, maps and other historical documents by artists and political figures from Rijswijk that stretches back several centuries. This is not an underfunded warehouse of odds and ends that calls itself a 'museum.' This is a museum intent on preserving a rich history worth experiencing on its own terms.
Find your way with 117 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
Oma Toos, overlooking the picturesque harbour, gives you a delicious taste of Dutch cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere without paying “tourist prices”.
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I think it certainly makes for a cute and spontaneous photo opportunity.
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"Clingendael Bos" in The Hague is one of several large forests in the city. This one has bunkers left over from WWII where I love playing with my kids!
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"Spellenhuis Den Haag" is what I wish had existed when I was a kid: a games shop with a full slate of daily activities where you can play for hours on end!
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"O'Casey's Irish Pub" in The Hague brings together nations in a way that everyone feels at home. There's an intimate feeling I can't find elsewhere!
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"1646" in The Hague is a project space where you can view, and often participate in, art that runs towards the intellectual and the avant-garde...
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"Skatepark De Kuil" in The Hague is not just a playground for all ages and yes, a cool skatepark - it's an essential component of a vibrant community!
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"Clingendael Pet Cemetery" in The Hague has about a dozen headstones that mark the lives and deaths of pooches from the turn of the 20th century...
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"Het Balihuisje" is The Hague's attempt to keep up with the 21st-century version of urban chic. It aspires to be a hub of creativity as well as a cafe!
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This is The Hague's Holocaust Memorial - the way it's set up, once cannot avoid seeing it. History must be remembered or it will be repeated...
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"Maison Kelder" in The Hague is famous in the whole Netherlands for its sweets - tarts, cakes, cookies etc. But my favorite is the 'hazelnoot gebak'...
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