Discover Centrum: Art, Palaces and City History

Discover The Hague through its different cultural highlights: the Binnenstad, the oldest part of the city; royal history; museums featuring diverse art forms; and routes connecting the city and the beach. When looking for a holiday apartment in Centrum, it helps to first consider which aspects of The Hague you want to shape your stay. This way, you can plan cultural activities and things to do according to your own interests.

City History and Royal Buildings

The Binnenstad is the oldest part of The Hague and includes the Binnenhof and the Ridderzaal. The Mauritshuis is located right next to the Binnenhof in the historic city centre. Paleis Noordeinde serves a different purpose: the King uses it as a working palace, and its history has been inextricably linked with the House of Orange since 1591. The Paleiskerk, near Paleis Noordeinde, is a distinctive historic building in the centre. K. Stoffels designed it in the neo-Romanesque style; it was built in 1885–1886.

Noordeinde in the old centre also has its own distinctive character: the area is known for exclusive fashion boutiques, galleries, and antique and art shops. The Gevangenpoort, a museum since 1882, offers a different perspective on history. These places each offer a different focus—from the royal working palace and its long association with the House of Orange to a museum’s historical significance.

Art in Palaces and Museums

Escher in Het Paleis is a small 18th-century palace now dedicated to the work of M. C. Escher. It features more than 120 prints by Maurits C. Escher (1898–1972), as well as a selection of changing prints and tessellations. Visitors are also offered three free audio tours through the Bloomberg Connects app. Here, the building and the artwork together provide the museum’s thematic framework.

Museum Panorama Mesdag features Mesdag’s 360-degree panorama. Museum Bredius is housed in the former home of art collector Abraham Bredius. Until 1985, Bredius’s collection of paintings, drawings, antique furniture, silverware, crystalware and porcelain was open to the public. This date refers to the period when the collection was publicly accessible.

City Routes and Special Views

Those who want to explore The Hague on foot can follow the “Van strand tot strand” city walk: it covers around 19 kilometres from the Binnenstad to the beach, passing Museum Panorama Mesdag. The “Duinenroute Zuid” cycling route also passes Museum Panorama Mesdag and runs from Scheveningen via Kijkduin back to the city centre. The routes differ in type and in their described itineraries: the city walk has an approximate distance, while the cycling route focuses on its stops and return journey.

Climbing the Hague Tower involves 288 steps and leads to a balcony with 360-degree views over The Hague and the seaside resorts of Scheveningen and Kijkduin. The Hofvijver offers another contrast, depending on the weather: in winters cold enough, it can still be used as a natural ice rink. People have skated there for almost four centuries, provided the weather and ice conditions allow it.

A Visit with Different Points of Interest

A tour of the Eerste Kamer explains the building’s functions, history and interior. It begins in the square in front of the entrance at Kazernestraat 52 in The Hague; check the meeting point again before booking. The tour offers another way to learn about the city’s history—not only through museums and buildings, but also through the function and design of a building.

Whether you plan your stay mainly around art, historic places or a route through the city, the attractions mentioned offer different ways to discover The Hague. These interests can help guide your choice of a holiday apartment in Centrum, without requiring you to follow a particular daily itinerary.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Scheveningen, Kijkduin, Geuzenkwartier, Vissershaven, Haagse Hout.

Go to the main travel overview: The Hague.