De Lakenhal: a city collection in an old trading hall
From altarpieces secured in 1566 to flowers in the seventeenth century: the Leiden museum links building, city and art.
Museum De Lakenhal in Leiden is housed in the former Laecken-Halle on the Oude Singel. According to the museum's history, the seventeenth-century building opened on 8 August 1641. Since the museum's founding in 1874, art and stories about the city have been shown here.
The city collection has older roots. In 1566, fearing the Iconoclasm, the Leiden city government had altarpieces removed from the Pieterskerk and the Mariënpoel monastery. According to the museum, this began a collection about Leiden. The museum was closed from 2016 to 2019 for restoration and extension.
Museum.nl mentions seven collection presentations on visual art, city history and decorative arts. The collection includes work by Lucas van Leyden, Rembrandt and Jan Steen, and by later makers such as Theo van Doesburg, Claudy Jongstra and Erwin Olaf. The triptych The Last Judgement by Lucas van Leyden is regarded as a showpiece.
According to the museum, Tuin der lusten: De zeventiende eeuw in bloei runs until 29 March 2027; this magazine already has a separate story about the exhibition.
According to the agenda, Giselle Kuster: De Leidse jaren remains on view until 25 October 2026.
The announced autumn holiday programme runs from 17 to 25 October inclusive, so it begins after 13 October. According to the museum, children up to eighteen have free admission all year round. According to the exhibition page, when it is busy the museum may hand out time slots at the entrance.
Museum De Lakenhal is at Oude Singel 32. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00. A regular ticket costs €16 and gives access to the whole museum; Museumkaart holders pay nothing.