Dwight Eisenhower arriving at Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague on October 6, 1945

Escher Museum

Escher Museum Visiting Hours, Tickets, and Guide to The Hague Historical Sites

Date: 14/06/2025

Introduction to Escher in Het Paleis

Located in the heart of The Hague, Escher in Het Paleis (Escher in The Palace) is a premier cultural destination that fuses Dutch royal heritage with the mathematically inspired art of Maurits Cornelis Escher (M.C. Escher). Housed in the beautifully preserved 18th-century Lange Voorhout Palace—once the winter residence of Queen Mother Emma—the museum offers a compelling journey through regal architecture and Escher’s mind-bending graphic art. Since opening as a museum in 2002, Escher in Het Paleis has become a must-visit for art enthusiasts, families, mathematics lovers, and tourists exploring The Hague’s historical sites.

Escher’s legacy is defined by his intricate prints that challenge perception, such as “Metamorphosis III,” “Relativity,” and “Waterfall.” These works, rich in optical illusions and mathematical concepts, are displayed within the context of the palace’s historical interiors, providing an immersive and educational experience for all ages. Interactive exhibits, educational workshops, and special events further enhance the museum’s dynamic offering, making it a vibrant part of The Hague’s Museum Quarter and a highlight among the city’s cultural landmarks.

For the most up-to-date visiting hours, ticket prices, and accessibility information, consult the official Escher in Het Paleis website. This guide provides comprehensive details to help you plan a seamless and enriching visit.

Wim Duisenberg arriving at Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague on October 17, 1981

Arrival of Princess Margriet at Paleis Lange Voorhout during Prinsjesdag 1968 in The Hague

Professor Victor Halberstadt arriving at Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague on October 17, 1981

Arrival of Dutch politicians Max van den Berg and Bram Peper at the PvdA parliamentary faction meeting in The Hague on October 16, 1981

Queen Beatrix arriving at Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague on August 20, 1981 during cabinet formation

Arrival of Queen Beatrix at Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague at the start of cabinet formation consultations on September 9, 1982

Archbishop De Jong of Utrecht leaving the Lange Voorhout palace after visiting Queen Wilhelmina in The Hague on January 16, 1946

Prince Claus, Queen Beatrix, Pieter van Vollenhoven and Princess Margriet on balcony at Paleis Lange Voorhout on Prinsjesdag 1980

1980 balcony scene at Paleis Lange Voorhout featuring Princess Claus, Queen Beatrix, Pieter van Vollenhoven, and Princess Margriet

Queen Beatrix, Prince Claus and Princess Margriet on the balcony of Paleis Lange Voorhout during Prinsjesdag 1980 in The Hague

Royal balcony scene at Paleis Lange Voorhout featuring Queen Beatrix, Prince Claus, and Princess Margriet on Prinsjesdag 1980 in The Hague

Queen Beatrix receiving commemorative stamps at Paleis Lange Voorhout

Widow of Pakistani prince standing near Palace Lange Voorhout in black and white photo

Queen and Prince Bernhard leaving the palace after Princess Wilhelmina's burial in 1962

Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Bernhard leaving Lange Voorhout Palace after the interment ceremony on December 8, 1962

Black and white photo of the funeral procession of Princess Wilhelmina, with the coffin being carried from Paleis Lange Voorhout on December 8, 1962

Funeral procession of Princess Wilhelmina's remains being carried out from Paleis Lange Voorhout on December 8, 1962, in a black and white photograph

Funeral procession of Princess Wilhelmina, coffin being carried out of Paleis Lange Voorhout, December 8, 1962

CDA faction leader Ruud Lubbers at Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague during a meeting with Queen Beatrix on October 16, 1981

D66 faction leader Jan Terlouw leaving Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague during the 1981 cabinet formation

Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, D66 faction leader, standing outside Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague, black and white photo dated 16 October 1981

Chinese Minister of Education Jiang Manxiang offers a tea set to Princess Beatrix during a reception at Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague on 24 September 1979

Chinese Minister of Education Jiang Manxiang presenting a tea set to Princess Beatrix at Paleis Lange Voorhout

De Gaay Fortman CDA politician leaving Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague 1981 black and white photo

De Gaay Fortman CDA politician leaving Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague surrounded by press photographers September 2 1981 black and white photo

Dutch Royal Family waving to the public from a palace balcony during the Opening of the Staten-Generaal 1968 in The Hague

Dutch Royal Family waving to the public from a balcony of Lange Voorhout Palace in The Hague on September 17, 1968

Golden coach arriving at Paleis Lange Voorhout during Prinsjesdag 1969 in The Hague

Dutch royal family on the balcony during Prinsjesdag in September 1962 in The Hague

The Dutch royal family on the balcony of Paleis Lange Voorhout during Prinsjesdag, The Hague, 1979

Royal family on the balcony of Paleis Lange Voorhout during Prinsjesdag 1969

Dutch royal family on the balcony of Paleis Lange Voorhout during Prinsjesdag 1969

The Dutch royal family on the balcony of Paleis Lange Voorhout during Prinsjesdag 1969 with Prince Bernhard, Queen Juliana, Mr. Pieter van Vollenhoven, and Princess Margriet

Royal family on the balcony of Paleis Lange Voorhout during Prinsjesdag 1969 featuring Prins Bernhard, Queen Juliana, Mr. Pieter van Vollenhoven, and Prinses Margriet

The Dutch royal family standing on the balcony of Palace Lange Voorhout on Prinsjesdag 1969, including Princess Bernhard, Queen Juliana, Mr. Pieter van Vollenhoven, and Princess Margriet

Royal family on balcony of Paleis Lange Voorhout during Prinsjesdag 1969 including Queen Juliana, Prince Bernhard, Prince Claus, Pieter van Vollenhoven and Princess Margriet

Dutch royal family on the balcony of Paleis Lange Voorhout during Prinsjesdag 1969 showing Prince Bernhard, Queen Juliana, Prince Claus, Mr. Pieter van Vollenhoven, and Princess Margriet

The royal family on the balcony of the Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague on Prinsjesdag 1969, from left to right: Prince Bernhard, Queen Juliana, and Prince Claus

The Dutch royal family riding in the golden carriage from the Ridderzaal to the Lange Voorhout palace during Prinsjesdag 1970 in The Hague

The new American ambassador to the Netherlands, C. Freeman Matthews, arriving at Paleis Lange Voorhout to present his credentials to Queen Juliana on November 25, 1953 in The Hague

New US Ambassador C. Freeman Matthews arriving at Lange Voorhout Palace to present credentials to Queen Juliana in The Hague, 1953

New American Ambassador C. Freeman Matthews arriving at Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague to present credentials to Queen Juliana in 1953

The new U.S. Ambassador William Jennings Dyess inspects the honor guard at Paleis Lange Voorhout in The Hague, 1981

Contents Overview

Introduction
Royal Origins and Palace History
M.C. Escher’s Art and Legacy
Art and Mathematics: The Escher Experience
Museum Highlights and Visitor Experience
Interactive Features and Educational Programs
Visiting Hours, Tickets, and Accessibility
Facilities and Services
Getting There and Nearby Attractions
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Summary and Visit Tips
Sources and Further Reading

Royal Origins and Palace History

The museum is housed in the Lange Voorhout Palace, an elegant neoclassical building constructed in the 18th century. Purchased by Queen Emma in 1896, it served as her winter residence from 1901 until her death in 1934. The palace subsequently housed the business offices of several Dutch queens, maintaining its royal function until the late 20th century. Today, visitors can explore rooms preserved in their original style, adorned with displays and artifacts from the building’s regal past, which provide a unique historical context for Escher’s innovative works (Wikipedia; denhaag.com).

M.C. Escher’s Art and Legacy

Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898–1972) is celebrated for his woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints that explore impossible realities, tessellations, and mathematical paradoxes. The museum’s collection features over 150 works, including iconic pieces like “Sky and Water,” “Belvedere,” “Waterfall,” and “Drawing Hands,” as well as early Italian landscapes that illustrate Escher’s artistic evolution (denhaag.com; hiddenholland.com). A highlight is the monumental “Metamorphosis III,” a seven-meter-long woodcut displayed in circular format, which demonstrates Escher’s fascination with transformation and the infinite (denhaag.com).

Art and Mathematics: The Escher Experience

Escher’s work is renowned for its interplay between art and mathematics. His prints incorporate tessellations, impossible objects, symmetry, and perspective. Interactive installations—such as the construction of the “Impossible Penrose Triangle” and the famous “Escher Room,” where adults appear smaller than children—allow visitors to engage directly with Escher’s principles of perception and illusion (whichmuseum.com; trip.com). These features make the museum an attractive destination for both art lovers and mathematics enthusiasts.

Museum Highlights and Visitor Experience

Layout:
The museum spans three floors:

Ground Floor: Introduction to Escher’s early works and palace heritage.
First Floor: Thematic galleries featuring Escher’s most famous prints and the palace’s original royal rooms.
Second Floor: Optical illusions, interactive exhibits, and rotating temporary exhibitions.

Key Exhibits:

“Relativity,” “Ascending and Descending,” “Hand with Reflecting Sphere,” and “Metamorphosis III.”
Preserved royal rooms with 19th-century interiors and historical displays.
Contemporary chandeliers by Hans van Bentem, inspired by Escher’s motifs.
Parquet floors designed by Donald Judd, echoing Escher’s geometric themes.

Interactive Features and Educational Programs

Optical Illusion Room: Experience mind-bending spaces such as the Ames Room and models of impossible objects.
Tessellation Workshops: Create your own tessellations digitally and print or email your design.
Children’s Activities: Family-friendly booklets and interactive scavenger hunts.
Workshops and Special Events: Linocut printmaking and tessellation workshops, especially during holidays.
Educational Resources: Biographical displays, letters, and preliminary sketches illuminate Escher’s creative process (denhaag.com).

Visiting Hours, Tickets, and Accessibility

Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Sunday: 11:00 – 17:00 (last admission at 16:30).
Closed on Mondays and some public holidays.
Tickets:
Adults: €12–€14
Children (6–17): €7
Under 6: Free
Discounts for students, seniors, and groups.
Tickets available online or at the entrance (official website).
Accessibility:
The museum is wheelchair accessible, with ramps and elevators. Manual wheelchairs are available; electric wheelchairs may not fit the lift. Assistance dogs are permitted. Special guided tours for visually impaired visitors are scheduled several times yearly.

Facilities and Services

Cloakroom and Lockers: Free lockers for large bags; limited storage for suitcases.
Café: The MC Café serves drinks and light refreshments.
Museum Shop: Offers Escher-themed gifts and books.
Restrooms: No disabled toilet on-site; nearest accessible facilities at The Hague Central Station.
Photography: Non-flash photography is allowed except during some special exhibitions.
Pets: Only guide dogs allowed.

Getting There and Nearby Attractions

Address:
Lange Voorhout 74, 2514 EH The Hague, Netherlands

Public Transport:
Trams and buses stop at Malieveld, a short walk from the museum. The Hague Central Station is within walking distance.

By Car:
Paid parking at Interparking Museum Quarter car park, Toernooiveld.

Bike:
Bicycle racks available near the entrance.

Nearby Attractions:
Combine your visit with the Mauritshuis, Panorama Mesdag, Binnenhof, and the Peace Palace, all within walking distance or a short tram ride.

Augmented Reality Route:
Enhance your exploration with the Museum Quarter’s AR route, highlighting twelve cultural hotspots.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Where can I buy tickets?
A: Online via the official website or at the entrance.

Q: Is the museum wheelchair accessible?
A: Yes, with some limitations for electric wheelchairs.

Q: Are guided tours available?
A: Yes, in Dutch and English. Group bookings recommended.

Q: What are the opening hours?
A: Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00–17:00; closed Mondays.

Q: Is photography allowed?
A: Generally yes, but restrictions may apply during special exhibitions.

Q: Are children welcome?
A: Absolutely. The museum offers workshops, activity booklets, and interactive exhibits for all ages.

Q: Are pets allowed?
A: Only guide dogs.

Summary and Visit Tips

Escher in Het Paleis offers a distinctive cultural experience, merging the grandeur of Dutch royal heritage with the imaginative, mathematically inspired art of M.C. Escher. The museum’s rich collection, innovative installations, and preserved palace interiors provide a fascinating journey for visitors of all ages and interests. Its central location in The Hague’s Museum Quarter, commitment to accessibility, and variety of special events make it a highlight for anyone seeking to explore The Hague’s historical sites.

Visit Tips:

Book tickets online to avoid queues, especially during weekends and holidays.
Plan for a 1.5–2 hour visit.
Use audio guides or join a docent-led tour for deeper insights.
Don’t miss unique features like the Hans van Bentem chandeliers and Donald Judd parquet floors.
Check the museum’s website for workshop schedules, temporary exhibitions, and accessibility updates.

For the latest information, visit the official Escher in Het Paleis website and download the Audiala app for audio guides. Stay connected with The Hague’s cultural scene by exploring related articles and following the museum on social media.