What the Rijksmuseum is for Amsterdam, is the Mauritshuis for Den Haag (The Hague) - one of the top museums. Although much smaller than the Amsterdam Rijksmuseum, the Mauritshuis houses a beautiful collection of paintings by Dutch masters like Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt, Jan Steen, Paulus Potter, Frans Hals, Hans Holbein the Younger, and others.

Its undisputed top piece is 'Girl with a pearl necklace' by Vermeer. This work the subject of a movie of the same title, and the painting travelled the world over before the renovation of the Mauritshuis finished in 2014.

Another well-known work is 'Het Puttertje' ('the Goldfinch') by Carel Fabritius, which became known with the publication of Donna Tartt's novel 'The Goldfinch' in which the painting plays a role.

The Mauritshuis has a collection of about 800 paintings.

Address:
Plein 29, Den Haag
Web:
http://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/