MUSEUMMagazine
English
Our museum guide is growing. Information is being added and checked by museums. Submit additional information
Museums / Leiden

South Holland · Nature

De Oude Sterrewacht: astronomy behind the Hortus

De Oude Sterrewacht in Leiden welcomes the public via the Hortus. The exhibition ‘Planten & Planeten’ and guided tours to a historic telescope offer different ways to visit.

Plan your visit ↗

The exhibition first

The visitor centre is a gateway to the observatory’s subjects. Take time there to follow the explanations before you choose a guided tour. That way an instrument gains more meaning than just its impressive appearance.

A telescope with a guide

Drop-in guided tours are offered at set times in Dutch and English. Check which language and time suit you. The dome route may include stairs, so ask in advance about the physical possibilities of the visit.

Telling two access routes apart

Ordinary public visits go through the Hortus on the Rapenburg. A different address is used for private guided tours. The exhibition’s opening hours are also narrower than those of the garden as a whole; combine the two schedules carefully.

Before you go

Check both the Sterrewacht hours and the Hortus access; private guided tours have a separate appointment and entrance.

Sources

This first edition has been compiled from collected museum information. Not all of the information has yet been confirmed by the museum. Viewing tips are by the editorial team. The sources used are listed below.

  1. Leidse Sterrewacht — source 1

    Source reference supplied; independent source check still needed. Research reference supplied; source content and claims still to be verified independently.

  2. Leidse Sterrewacht — source 2

    Source reference supplied; independent source check still needed. Research reference supplied; source content and claims still to be verified independently.

Is something incorrect or missing? Let the editorial team know →

Sections

Museum mapDiscover museumsHomeMuseum storiesThe art of lookingWorld & objectBehind the scenesWhat’s on