Mauritshuis Royal Picture Gallery
The Mauritshuis Royal Picture Gallery was a palace in the 17th century. In addition to 'Girl with a Pearl Earring', it also houses a large number of treasures, such as Paulus Potter's 'The Bull', Rembrandt's 'The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp', Johannes Vermeer's 'View of Delft', Jan Steen's 'As the Old Sing, So Pipe the Young', Jan Brueghel the Elder and Peter Paul Rubens' 'The Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden', Frans Hals' portraits, and Rembrandt's self-portraits.
Binnenhof & Ridderzall
The land on which Binnenhof was built was purchased by Count Floris IV of Holland in 1229. He built his residence there, and since the 13th century, it has been adjacent to a small lake now known as Hofvijver ('Court Pond'). More buildings were constructed around this courtyard, some of which are widely known by their names, such as the Ridderzaal (literally 'Knight's Hall', the Great Hall). The Queen delivers her annual speech from the throne here on Prinsjesdag (Prince's Day) every year. One of its many towers, commonly known as het Torentje ('the Little Tower'), has served as the office of the Dutch Prime Minister since 1982.
Peace Palace
The Peace Palace is home to the United Nations International Court of Justice, the International Law Library, and the International Law Academy. The entire building is extremely grand and magnificent. To the right of the main entrance of the Peace Palace stands an inconspicuous Peace Monument, only about 1 meter high. The eternal flame of peace burns at the top of the monument, and the inscription reads 'May Peace Prevail on Earth.' Surrounding the monument is the World Peace Path, paved with 197 stones representing countries around the world, including a piece of green jade gifted by China.
Panorama Mesdag
The panorama painting housed in the Panorama Mesdag Museum was created by Dutch painter H.W. Mesdag, his wife, and other painters of the Hague School. It depicts the fishing village of Scheveningen on the North Sea coast in the 1880s. This circular oil painting has a circumference of 120 meters and a height of 14 meters, making it the most exquisite, largest, and oldest panorama painting in existence. The natural light coming through the top of the exhibition hall creates a magical effect, making the entire painting appear more realistic as the light changes at different times and from different angles.
Escher Museum
The Escher Museum, originally the Winter Palace of Queen Emma, exhibits the complete works of the famous graphic artist Escher. The exhibits include numerous publications and manuscripts, as well as a multimedia 'Escher Journey' to help visitors fully understand Escher. Famous works such as 'Day and Night' and 'Waterfall' will challenge visitors' eyes.
The Hague Municipal Museum
The Hague Municipal Museum is an absolute authority on art and fashion. The museum houses the largest collection of Mondrian works in the world, including the famous 'Victory Boogie Woogie'. The museum's collection is stunning, and the Art Deco style building designed by Berlage has been dazzling since its completion in 1935. Art lovers visiting The Hague should not miss this place.
