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10 Unusual Things to Do and See in The Hague

The Binnenhof in the Hague
The Binnenhof in the Hague | ©pixabay

Beside being the political capital of the Netherlands and the UN’s legal centre, The Hague is also a bustling city that is filled with dozens of exciting museums, restaurants and other cultural highlights, including several more unusual attractions. Read on to discover more.

Madurodam

This charming miniature theme park in Scheveningen features thousands of scale replicas of famous Dutch landmarks such as Dam Square and the Binnenhof. There are some real treasures inside the park and searching for iconic buildings with friends, family or partners is ridiculously fun.
📍 Madurodam, George Maduroplein 1, the Hague +31 70 416 2400

Binnenhof model in Madurodam

Museum de Gevangenpoort

The Gevangenpoort (Prisoner’s Gate) in The Hague housed a notorious prison for over 400 years and incarcerated serious criminals whilst they awaited trial. The jail was converted into a historical museum around 100 years ago and now features several exhibition related to the history of crime and punishment in the Netherlands.
📍 Museum de Gevangenpoort, Buitenhof 33, The Hague +31 70 346 0861

Panorama Mesdag

In 1880 Dutch marine painter Henrik Willem Mesdag was commissioned by a Belgian company to create an enormous 360 degree panorama of The Hague’s coastline. Mesdag eventually purchased this gigantic painting from his former employers and then displayed inside a custom built museum, which has remained operational ever since.
📍 Panorama Mesdag, Zeestraat 65, The Hague +31 70 310 6665

The Mesdag Panorama

Celestial Vault

By lying down on the stone table in the centre of this crater-shaped art installation visitors will perceive the sky as curved. This strange phenomenon occurs due to certain optical distortions created by the crater’s contours.
📍 Celestial Vault, Machiel Vrijenhoeklaan 175, The Hague

The Celestial Vault was created by American artist James Turrell in 1996

Louwman Museum

Over the past 80 years the Louwman family has amassed an enormous collection of historic and important automobiles. These cars, buses and motorcycles are housed within a specialised museum in The Hague’s north-eastern reaches.
📍 Louwman Museum, Leidsestraatweg 57, The Hague +31 70 304 7373

Inside the Louwman Museum

Familiepark Drievliet

This family-orientated theme park in The Hague has plenty to offer kids, parents and thrill seekers. There are dozens of attractions inside including several white-knuckle rides such as the Formula X rollercoaster or Jungle River log flume.
📍 Familiepark Drievliet, Laan van ‘s-Gravenmade, The Hague +31 70 399 9305

Formula X

Schevingen Beach

The Hague’s most northernly borough Schevingen is renowned for its beautiful sandy beaches. In fact, it is among the most popular seaside resorts in the Netherlands and scores of locals head to its shores during sunny spells.
📍Schevingen Beach, Strandweg, The Hague

SkyView

The towering ferris wheel spins atop Schevingen’s leisure pier is called SkyView and looks over The Hague’s glorious coastline. It is possible to ride the wheel everyday of the week between 11.00 to 20.00 and its management occasionally organises dinner parties within its spinning gondolas.
📍 SkyView Pier, Strandweg 156, The Hague +31 88 022 3333

SkyView ferris wheel on Schevingen pier

Pickled herring

Pickled herring is a Dutch delicacies that is commonly eaten during summertime. Although kiosks and food trucks selling this tiny fish are stationed around The Hague their largest concentration is located on the banks of Schevingen beach.
📍 Schevingen Beach, Strandweg, The Hague

Pickled herring is a dutch staple

The Japanese Garden in Clingendael Park

Due to its fragility and high-maintenance the Japanese Garden in Clingendael Park is only open eight weeks a year. The garden includes several items that were shipped from Japan in the early 20th century and hundreds of beautiful rare plants.
📍 Japanese Garden, Clingendael 6, The Hague +31 70 353 3000

The Japanese Garden

About the author

Tom Coggins writes about culture and travel. He'd really like to own a dog someday.

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