The Mauritshuis will introduce a reduced entrance ticket of 4 euros for visits after 4.00 pm, starting on 1 January 2026. With this new pricing, visitors can access the museum during the final two hours of opening time, seven days a week. The Mauritshuis is the first museum in the Netherlands to offer such a low daily late-afternoon ticket price.
The initiative is intended to make the museum more accessible to people for whom a regular ticket price may be a barrier. The reduced rate applies to all visitors aged 19 and over who live in the Netherlands. Visitors up to and including 18 years old continue to have free access at all times.
According to general director Martine Gosselink, accessibility is a core part of the museum’s mission. She explains that the current ticket price can be a threshold for some visitors and does not fully align with the ambition that everyone should feel at home in the Mauritshuis. With this step, the museum hopes to welcome many more people.
Art and wellbeing
A growing body of scientific research shows that engaging with art can have a positive effect on mental health. One year ago, the Mauritshuis conducted its own neuroscientific study, which demonstrated that viewing original artworks creates an emotional response up to ten times stronger than viewing reproductions. Experiencing the power of art in person is something the museum wants to make possible for as many people as possible.
The 4-euro ticket will be available exclusively at the Mauritshuis ticket desk from 4.00 pm onwards and cannot be purchased online. Group visits are permitted for a maximum of four people. The pilot will run for an initial period of six months and will then be evaluated.
Record visitor numbers in 2025
The Mauritshuis is closing 2025 with exceptionally strong visitor figures. The museum expects to have welcomed around 520,000 visitors in total this year, an increase of 5 percent compared with 2024. These figures include visits to the Galerij Prins Willem V. It is the highest number of visitors the museum has ever received in a single calendar year.
Programme highlights for 2026
Three major exhibitions are scheduled for 2026. Early in the year, BIRDS, curated by The Goldfinch and Simon Schama, will explore the worldwide fascination with birds, inspired by Fabritius’ iconic painting. In spring and summer, photographer Stephan Vanfleteren presents Pentimenti, bringing together powerful images that connect past and present. From October 2026, Meesters uit Madrid will bring 25 masterpieces from Madrid to The Hague, featuring works from Van Eyck to El Greco, with a strong focus on humanity and storytelling.
Text & image: Mauritshuis
Translation: The Hague Online