Holland’s Mauritshuis, one of the world’s most celebrated small museums, will reopen to public on June 27, 2014 following a major renovation. Located in The Hague, the Mauritshuis is home to some of the country’s most treasured paintings including Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ and Jan Steen’s ‘As the Old Sing, So Pipe the Young.’
The Mauritshuis’ 17th century building has been renovated and upgraded to better suit its 21st century visitors. The Royal Dutch Shell Wing has been added to the museum’s historic building and will provide new exhibition galleries, an education center, a cafe, and other state-of-the-art visitor facilities.
Built between 1636 and 1644 for Count Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen, the Mauritshuis was purchased by the Dutch state in 1820 for the purpose of housing the Royal Collection of Paintings. The institution opened as a public museum in 1822.
