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- The Mesdag Collection – Art Museum in The Hague
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A true hidden gem, this art museum displays both art by Dutch painter Mesdag as well as the art he collected together with his wife in their former home.
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- See the famous sea paintings by Hendrik Willem Mesdag
- View the art he collected with his wife Sina van Houten
- Stroll through their beautiful garden
Children
Free entry for everyone under the age of 18
Languages
Art descriptions are available in Dutch and English
Opening hours
Friday – Sunday: 10.00 – 17.00
Ticket information
Tickets cannot be cancelled or rescheduled
Ticket directly available on smartphone
More information
For questions about the product, please contact hello@toursandtickets.nl
Accessibility
- Wheelchair friendly
- Free access to bathroom
De Mesdag Collectie
Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Seascapes by Hendrik Willem Mesdag
From a young age Hendrik Willem Mesdag showed great artistic potential, though it wasn’t until he inherited a fortune from his father in law, that Mesdag decided to give up his job to become a fulltime painter. He discovered the beauty of the sea, the sky and its mesmerizing atmosphere when he lived on Norderney, one of seven East Frisian Islands that are populated.
In 1869, Mesdag and his wife moved to The Hague, though he frequently rented a room in Scheveningen to be close to the sea. Mesdag’s biggest and most famous painting is the Panorama Mesdag, a 14 by 120 meter cylinder shaped panoramic painting of the view to North Sea across the dunes, The Hague and Scheveningen, which can be visited around the corner of the museum. Many of his other works can be found in the Mesdag Collection.
The family collection
Together with his wife Sina, who also painted herself, Hendrik collected French Dutch and Japanese art. The French art consists mostly of works from the French Barbizon School, with works by Daubigny, Millet, Dupré, Roussau, Courbet, Corot, Troyon and Diaz. The Mesdag’s Barbizon collection is the largest of its kind outside of France.
The Dutch art on display belongs to the Hague School, whose artists were heavily influenced by the French Barbizon school. Highlights of this part of the collection include Anton Mauve’s Donkey Stand on the Beach at Scheveningen and Théophile de Bock’s Thunderstorm. The collection of Japanese art is decorative in nature and includes everything from samurai swords to Satsuma earthenware vases.
The Mesdag Collection museum is set up in what was the home of the Mesdag family, which was built in the 1870s by Mesdag and his brother in law Samuel van Houten. The museum consists of the house itself, the painting studio both Hendrik and Sina used, the art they created and collected and their garden. The garden is the prefect place for a picnic or a quiet stroll and has views across the Peace Palace, home to the International Court of Justice.
Mesdag Collection Tickets
Get your tickets now to explore the wonderful world of the Mesdag family and their incredible art collection. The museum can easily be reached from Rotterdam by public transport or car, with public transport stops less than 300 meters from the museum. Book your Mesdag Collection tickets now and prepare to wowed by this hidden gem museum.
22 Reviews
4.3
Average rating from
Tripadvisor
kittybiscuit7o
One of my favourite museums in the world
The house itself is lovely inside. What I loved was the collection of art. I really liked the collection, a mixture of studies and paintings. The explanations were excellent and I watched all the videos which I don’t usually do. They were interesting and amusing. What makes it particularly lovely is it is quiet and you can really take your time enjoying the art. If you want to see a very famous painting and take a selfie, not the museum for you. If you love landscapes and French and Dutch art, then I’d advise you to visit. I thought it was a good sized collection.
Feb 11, 2023margatemensch2016
Enjoying 19th Century Conservative French and Dutch Art In The Hague
In late November,I was fortunate enough to spend four hours studying splendid 19th Century French Paintings associated with the Barbizon School and French Romanticism.The following French Paintings captivated me;Georges Michel's"3 Windmills",Charles Daubigny's"Cliffs Near Villierville",Camille Corot's"Path in Saint Cloud",Jean Millet's"Tower of Chailly,Barbizon",and Narcise Diaz De La Pena's"Forest of Fountainbleau". I also assiduously studied fine Hague School 19th Century Paintings by such Dutch Painters as;Hendrick Mesdag('Sunset Over Stormy Sea"),Anton Mauve's"Winter",Jacob Maris("The Mill"),Johannes Bosboom("Interior of Great Synagogue,Amsterdam",and Josef Israels("Alone",sombre oil painting) I also savored its fine collection of paintings by Italian Painter,Antonio Mancini including Mancini's"Statue Seller"and "Sick Child".This art museum has a cozy and conservative atmosphere.Even though,I prefer French Impressionistic Paintings over Barbizon and Hague School Paintings,this art museum is worthy of praise.
Dec 6, 2022wouterk67
Worth a visit, combine with Panorama Mesdag if you can
It's sister/ brother Panorama Mesdag is perhaps more famous, a 115 metre long circular Panorama painting. It's not an or-or situation, that one is just 1 few hundred metres away. Meanwhile, the Mesdag Collection offers a wider array of -mostly- paintings of Mesdag and his wife themselves and others who inspired them. Nice little museum, with still an impressive number of works. And unexpected views of the Peace Palace from the windows at the back of the building.
Jan 23, 2019kaagje
Mooie collectie!!
De Mesdagcollectie in Den Haag..ontvangen door een vriendelijke gastvrouw en een norse beveiligingsmedewerker...maar dat terzijde... Het 3 etage tellende gebouw toont prachtige werken van veel schilders: Weissenbruch, Roelofs, Mauve, Gabriel, maar ook van vele andere tijdgenoten. Daarnaast prachtige Japanse objecten, waaronder vazen. De prachtige geweven gobelins maken de zalen tot een geheel. Mooie, niet lange videobeelden. Duidelijk en informatief. De ruimtes zijn wel donker, maar krijgen hun daglicht door de immens grote ramen , die uitzicht bieden op het naastgelegen Vredespaleis. Informatief, en een prachtige collectie van verzamelde werken, en van Mesdag en zijn echtgenote Sientje van Houten zelf.
Feb 17, 2023Nelladella56
Mooie collectie in een prachtig huis!
Een heel mooi museum, met een mooie collectie. Heel interessant om te leren dat Van Gogh ook geïnspireerd was door een groot aantal schilderijen uit de collectie! Informatieve films over Mesdag en zijn vrouw.
Jun 20, 2022angeliquem655
de moeite waard
Een supermooie collectie, als je er van houdt kun je er makkelijk 2 uur rondkijken, we hadden een speurtocht gedaan maar die was echt stom, ook vond ik het jammer dat het alleen vrijdag, zaterdag en zondag open was, het was een kleine collectie maar wel heel mooi en hele dure schilderijen, het is dus echt de moeite waard, met VIP kaart kun je gratis naar binnen, we hadden er in eerste instantie weinig van verwacht, maar achteraf was het een supermooie collectie
May 7, 2022MichelM_Delft
Mooie collectie
Vlakbij het Vredespaleis vind je dit museum. Het is het woonhuis van Hendrik Willem Mesdag, de schilder van het bekende panorama. Het panorama bevindt zich ergens anders, op een paar honderd meter afstand. In dit museum vind je werken van Mesdag zelf, zijn vrouw Sientje en ook andere schilders. Naast schilderijen vind je hier ook mooie vazen en andere kunstvoorwerpen. Zeer de moeite waard. Wij kenden het nog niet en hebben geen spijt van ons bezoek.
Feb 28, 2022treesvanriet
Natuurlijk enorm veranderd in de 61 jaren dat ik er niet meer ben geweest.
Beneden prachtige schilderijen van Hendrik Mesdag, en zijn vrouw. Mooie zeegezichten en beschrijving van hun leven.
Dec 9, 2020urbanwinner
Interessante Ausstellung
Wer sich für die Monumentalmalerei des 18. Jahrhunderts interessiert, ist hier genau am richtigen Platz. Das ausgestellte Gemälde mit einer Länge von über 120 m beeindruckt als 360°-Präsentation. Ich habe auch meinen zweiten Besuch nicht bereut.
May 30, 2019gw971
Nicht entgehen lassen
Sicher ein Highlight in Den Haag, keine Warteschlange, Gemälde sind in einem Topzustand und gut beleuchtet aufgehängt.
May 22, 2018Giulita88
Sorperendente
Arrivati in cima all'osservatorio si ha l'impressione di essere davvero davanti al mare: merita una visita.
Mar 21, 2018FrancoisUlysse
petit musée, bien rempli
collection privée mise à disposition du public. Très belles pièces parfois trop les unes sur les autres, par manque de place.
Jul 27, 2016Nat-et-Franz
Petit musée intéressant
La maison dans laquelle habitaient les Mesdag a été transformée en musée grace à la collection énorme qu'ils avaient amassée. C'est assez hétéroclyte, mais plutôt intéressant.
Apr 3, 2016JonquilleJaune
Voyage dans le temps
Très beau panorama qui nous ramène vers le passé, on croirait vraiment y être : peinture, lumière, sable tout est là! Beaux tableaux maritimes en bas aussi.
Aug 11, 2015DanishTravelor
En stor kunstoplevelse i Haag
Besøger man Haag, må man som kunstinteresseret ikke snyde sig selv for et besøg på dette fine museum. Alene indretningen af museet med de smukke rum, gør besøget her til en stor oplevelse! Hendrik Willem Mesdag (1831 – 1915) og hustru Sientje Mesdag-van Houten (1834 – 1909) var begge to malere samtidig passionerede kunstsamlere. De indrettede og åbnede dette smukke hus i 1887, for at offentligheden skulle se deres imponerende kunstsamling. I begyndelsen var museet kun åbent søndag formiddag, hvor Mesdag selv viste gæsterne rundt. Museet indeholder den største samling værker af franske barbizon-kunstnere uden for Frankrig, og her er værker af bl.a. Camille Corot, Gustave Courbet, Théorore Rousseau, Charles-François Daubigny og Jean-François Millet. Der er desuden værker af kunstnerne fra Haag-skolen, som var inspireret af disse franske malere, deriblandt Johan Hendrik Weissenbruch, Jozef Israëls og Mesdag selv. Mesdag var også interesseret i bl.a. asiatisk kunst, og museet rummer bl.a. fine kinesiske vaser. Som mæcen tog Mesdag den italienske kunstner Antoni Mancini (1853 – 1930) under sine vinger, arrangerede udstillinger og hjalp ham med at sælge billeder. Dette forhold varede op mod 20 år, uden at de to kunstnere nogensinde mødtes. Museet samling indeholder nogle meget fine værker af Mancini.
May 19, 2014thessy
Realitätsnah
Das 360° Panorama Bild ist so lebendig, man glaubt die Pferde und Menschen würden sich bewegen. Wenn man sich bewegt oder sich draussen das Wetter ändert sieht das Bild nach ein paar Minuten wieder anders aus. Ich fand es faszinierend. Den Rest des Museums fand ich persönlich nicht sehr interessant, die Bilder waren mir zu düster und schwermütig, aber ich bin auch kein echter Kunstfreak.
Mar 16, 2014111lauraf
Bravissimi pittori del tardo '800.
Mesdag era un bravissimo pittore e non credo possa deludere. Qui trovi anche un paio di dipinti del pittore napoletano Antonio Mancini, apprezzato da Mesdag che aquistó diverse sue opere.
Dec 2, 2013
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