Offering a wonderful introduction to Dutch and Flemish art, this splendid museum is set in a 17th-century mansion built for wealthy sugar trader Johan Maurits. It became a museum housing the Royal Picture Collection in 1822, and acquired a swish modern wing in 2012–14. The 800-strong collection of paintings focuses on works created between the 15th and 18th centuries. It includes masterpieces such as Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring (c1665) and Rembrandt's intriguing The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp (1632).
The list of artists represented in the collection is formidable: in addition to works by Vermeer and Rembrandt, there are multiple pieces by Anthony van Dyke, Rubens, Jan Brueghel I, Hans Holbein II, Hals and Steen. Don't miss Van der Weyden's The Lamentation of Christ (c1460–64), Fabritius' The Goldfinch (1654) and Vermeer's View of Delft (c1660–61), the most famous cityscape of the Dutch Golden Age.
Audiotour hire costs €3.50, but there is also a free multimedia smart tour downloadable through the Apple Store and Google Play. The cafe and gift shop in the new wing are both very good.
Your ticket includes entry to Galerij Prins Willem V.
