Municipal Museum of The Hague

Brief information

The building of the Municipal Museum of The Hague is important not only as a shell for the collection: it is the last major work by Hendrik Petrus Berlage. The museum opened only after the architect’s death, and construction was completed by his son-in-law Emil Emanuel Strasser. The building itself should therefore be read as part of the exhibition: here the architectural concept became almost the master’s final word, rather than a neutral museum backdrop.

Later, the museum changed without a complete break from the original building. The Berlage Pavilion appeared behind it, a south-eastern wing was added in the 1960s, and during the restoration of the 1990s the museum was expanded by creating a basement beneath the inner courtyard. Today the new wing is occupied by the Museum of Photography and GEM, so the single complex shows how separate branches of contemporary art have been placed alongside the historic core.

What to notice first

It makes sense to compare the four parts of the complex. The main building belongs to Berlage’s project and sets the starting point: the museum was conceived as a purpose-built place for the city collections, not as an adapted old space. The pavilion in the garden continues this line through the same authorship, but is set apart from the main building.

The south-eastern wing shows a different stage: it was added later and was previously connected to the museum by a central gallery, which was dismantled during the restoration. The inner courtyard is also worth keeping in mind: during the expansion a basement appeared beneath it, meaning that new space was added not only outward, but also inside the structure of the building. In the decorative arts exhibition, this principle of reading continues: seven rooms are arranged by styles and periods, from the gold and leather room to the Dijsselhof room.