Museum van de Geest in Haarlem’s Dolhuys
The name Het Dolhuys was retired in 2020, but the historic building remains. The museum explores the human mind through stories, science and art.
Museum van de Geest is the current name of the museum that opened as Het Dolhuys in 2005. The institution adopted its new name in 2020; its centuries-old Haarlem building is still called the Dolhuys.
The museum occupies the city’s former leprosy, plague and care house. According to the museum, the site’s history began around 1300, when a community of people with leprosy lived outside the city boundary. The buildings subsequently served different forms of care and shelter.
The permanent presentation focuses on the human mind. Personal stories, science, contemporary art and questions about life invite visitors to reflect on themselves and others, according to the museum. An audio guide also brings the building’s history to life.
In Haarlem, Nieuw Oud! runs through 3 January 2027. Portrait photography in this exhibition explores different sides of ageing. WIJS!, featuring photographic portraits by Ilvy Njiokiktjien, is listed through 6 December 2026. At Grote Markt 16, the pop-up venue presents Outsider Art!, tracing 150 years of outsider art in the Netherlands; according to the museum, it runs through 30 September 2027.
The museum is at Schotersingel 2, about five minutes on foot from Haarlem station according to the museum. It normally opens Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum warns that rooms or opening hours may occasionally differ.
Adult admission is €17.50, according to the museum. Children aged five to seventeen pay €5, young people aged eighteen to twenty-two pay €10, and Museumkaart holders enter free. The museum says it cannot admit motorised or other wheelchairs wider than 65 centimetres.