Museums in Haarlem
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A city full of beautiful treasures. Visit an exhibition in Haarlem
For every taste and every budget, there’s something for everyone.
Haarlem is rich in well-known museums, including the Frans Hals Museum and the Teylers Museum, but there is much more to discover in our historic city when it comes to art and culture! Haarlem is known for its hofjes (courtyards), two impressive large churches, many monumental buildings, and as the capital of North Holland, it regularly hosts cultural events. On this page, we’ll share a few sightseeing tips with you.
Grote Kerk or St. Bavo Church on the Grote Markt
The Grote or Sint-Bavo Church is the second largest church in Haarlem, located on the Grote Markt. It is dedicated to Saint Bavo. This medieval cruciform church (construction period: 1370–1520), located in the city center, is built in Gothic style.
At the center of the church stands a late-Gothic crossing tower over 75 meters high, made of wood and covered with lead. The church is listed among the Top 100 Dutch UNESCO monuments.
The main attraction in the Grote Kerk is the impressive Müller organ from 1738 – the most frequently depicted instrument in the world. It spans the entire west wall of the church and measures nearly 30 meters from floor to top.
Organ concerts are held from May through October:
Tuesdays from 8:15 PM to 9:15 PM and Thursdays (from the last week of June through August) from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
The church is open for visits Monday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission €4 per person.
Nieuwe Bavo/Cathedral Basilica of St. Bavo
The Nieuwe Sint-Bavo Church is the largest church/cathedral basilica in Haarlem, located along the Leidsevaart. This church, one of the last great cathedrals in Europe, was designed by Jos Cuypers between 1895 and 1930.
The restoration of the Cathedral Basilica is the largest restoration project currently underway in the Netherlands. It is becoming increasingly clear that the cathedral’s architectural development stands alongside the most important churches built between 1850 and 1950 worldwide. It ranks among the top five, together with the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, the Sacré-Cœur in Paris, Westminster Cathedral in London, and the Basilica of Koekelberg in Brussels.
The Cathedral Museum houses special art treasures: paintings, sculptures, banners, and liturgical silverware. The museum also provides insight into the construction and unique decoration of this new Bavo.
Climb the tower via exciting spiral staircases, going higher and higher through the towers past the bells. Once at the top of the nearly 60-meter-tall towers, you’ll enjoy views of the city center, the copper Art Nouveau dome, and even the dunes and the sea. On a clear day, you can even see Amsterdam, Alkmaar, and Leiden.
Visit with tower climb: €7.50 per person. Open Wednesday–Sunday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Teylers Museum
Teylers Museum is a world of its own—one you’ll never forget.
The museum is named after Pieter Teyler (1702–1778), a wealthy banker and merchant who left his fortune to support art and science.
In the spirit of the Enlightenment, he believed that knowledge benefited all people. As a collector himself, he felt there should be a place where the public could explore the world. Over the past centuries, this place was visited by great scholars from around the world to discuss and give lectures.
Others came to ‘observe art.’ And that still happens in the Teylers Museum, for over 225 years now. Every year, around 100,000 visitors find their way to the museum.
Frans Hals Museum (Hof & Hal)
Since the Frans Hals Museum opened its doors in 1913 at the Old Men’s House, a courtyard on Groot Heiligland, it has enjoyed growing fame and attention.
The collection of Haarlem masters from the Golden Age is unique and based on the city’s own rich collection, built up since the 16th century.
The museum holds hundreds of paintings, including the largest collection of works by Frans Hals, after whom the museum is named.
Museum of the Mind / Dolhuys
The national museum of the mind and the history of mental healthcare is housed in the former Haarlem leper, plague, and madhouse.
The Dolhuys is an experience-based museum: it’s not about a collection of objects, but about experiences and opinions. The Dolhuys aims to show that the line between normal and mad is sometimes very thin.
The Dolhuys provides an overview of how ‘madness’ has been dealt with throughout the centuries. In addition to the permanent exhibition, there are rotating exhibits. In addition to the permanent exhibition, there are rotating exhibits.
De Adriaan Windmill
A visit to Haarlem is not complete without a tour of the museum windmill near the city center. With its picturesque location on the Spaarne River and its impressive height, this tower mill has been one of Haarlem’s most striking landmarks through the centuries.
Inside the mill, you can learn about the centuries-old technology of converting wind into productive energy. You’ll find plenty of information about windmills in general and about De Adriaan specifically.
Fun fact: Jopen’s wheat beer (Adriaan) is named after the windmill, and part of the profits go toward its renovation!
Verwey Museum Haarlem
Located on one of Haarlem’s prettiest streets, directly across from the Frans Hals Museum, is the Verwey Museum Haarlem.
It is a lively and inspiring city museum where visitors can experience the history of Haarlem and its surroundings in a surprising way and reflect on the present.
Verwey Museum Haarlem is open seven days a week!
Archaeological Museum
‘The most fun museum underground!’
What does a 16th-century flea trap look like? Or a pointed spouted jug, a bearded jug, or a beak shoe? And how does an excavation work? At the Archaeological Museum Haarlem, curious visitors can find the answers.
It is the place where urban archaeology and Haarlem’s archaeological heritage are made accessible through thematic and educational exhibitions. Admission is free.
Corrie ten Boom House
Corrie ten Boom Museum, “the Haarlem Anne Frank House.”
The house of Corrie ten Boom is now a museum. A large part of the house is arranged to reflect how it looked in the 1940s, during World War II.
Visiting guests can see the “Hiding Place,” a narrow space behind a false wall in Corrie’s bedroom. Jewish people in hiding and others were kept safe from the Nazis here. www.corrietenboom.com
Visits are only possible with guided tours (30 minutes): usually Tuesday to Saturday between 10:00 and 15:30, alternating Dutch and English.
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B&B Hotel Malts
