Mauritshuis in The Hague: Girl with a Pearl Earring, tickets and how to get there from Amsterdam

Updated on October 8, 2026

The Mauritshuis in The Hague holds Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring", Rembrandt's "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp" and Carel Fabritius's "The Goldfinch" in a small 17th-century palace beside the Hofvijver pond. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm and Monday from 1pm to 6pm; an adult ticket costs €21 and entry is free up to age 18. From Amsterdam it is about 50 minutes by train, which makes it one of the best day trips from the capital. The building was constructed between 1636 and 1641 for Count John Maurice of Nassau-Siegen. It became a museum in 1822 and shows only about 800 paintings, so you can see everything in two hours. In Amsterdam the same masters are at the Rijksmuseum and the Rembrandt House; the Mauritshuis offers a quieter, shorter visit. Prices are those seen in October 2026.

Highlights

"Girl with a Pearl Earring" (c. 1665)

The museum's most famous work is a "tronie", a study of a face rather than a commissioned portrait. It left The Hague for Osaka from 21 August to 27 September 2026, and the museum also closed from 24 August to 20 September 2026 for works. Check the museum's website that it is back in its place before you book.

"The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp" (1632)

One of Rembrandt's first great paintings, made at 26: the Amsterdam surgeon dissecting an arm in front of seven colleagues.

"The Goldfinch" (1654)

The little chained bird by Carel Fabritius, a pupil of Rembrandt who died at 32 in the Delft gunpowder explosion, is one of the few paintings of his that survive.

The Hofvijver and the Binnenhof

The museum looks onto the pond, opposite the Binnenhof, seat of the Dutch Parliament. After your visit, a walk around the pond and the Binnenhof takes half an hour.

Hours and prices

Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am-6pm, Monday 1pm-6pm; last entry 30 minutes before closing. Adult ticket €21; students €13.50; CJP cardholders €13; free up to age 18 and with the Museumkaart. Groups of 15 or more adults pay €18.50 per person.

Practical info

Tips

Book a timed slot online, especially at weekends and during school holidays. The Museumkaart gives entry, but a slot is still advisable. Combine the visit with a stroll through the centre of The Hague or with Leiden, both easy by train.

How to get there

Plein 29, 2511 CS The Hague. From Amsterdam Centraal: direct InterCity train to Den Haag Centraal (about 50 minutes, a departure every quarter of an hour during the day), then 25 minutes on foot or by tram to the Binnenhof. From Den Haag HS station the walk is a little shorter.