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Let's get artsy
Another day another museum
If there's one thing our city has in abundance, it's museums. From art to science, there's endless possibilities for discovery.
Journey through the human body
Corpus
CORPUS is all about the wonders of the human body and how to take good care of it: engaging, connecting, and relevant for everyone.
How does your body react to a splinter? What happens in your ear when you listen to music? And where is your body's command center? Experience a spectacular "journey through the human body" and see, feel, and hear how our ingenious bodies work. A sensory-stimulating experience to enjoy together!
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Flora and fauna
Botanical Garden
The Hortus Botanicus Leiden is the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands. Established in 1590 and expanded in the centuries that followed, the Hortus is the green heart of Leiden. You'll find peace and inspiration at the Hortus. Researchers from around the world come to the botanical garden to study its renowned collection. Carolus Clusius cultivated Europe's first large tulip collections there, and Philipp Franz von Siebold introduced approximately 700 previously unknown plants from Japan and China. Today, this verdant treasure trove houses rare plants from Southeast and East Asia, Southern Europe, and South Africa, some of which are even nearly extinct in the wild.
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Don't be afraid of the t-rex!
Naturalis
Come face to face with a T. rex or triceratops. At Naturalis, you'll learn all about dinosaurs, but there's so much more to discover! Naturalis boasts a huge collection of mammals, fish, and insects, as well as fossils and minerals!
Many of the collections feature interactive games and activities for all ages. You're guaranteed to be amazed.
Feast your eyes
World Museum Leiden
Learn about how people around the world live and how they are shaped by the world around them—then and now. By understanding the connection between past and present, you'll gain new insights into today's world.
Wereldmuseum Leiden, through its scholarly focus and collection history, focuses on global cultural histories. The themes explored here include icons of the world, the beauty of indigenous cultures, and their struggle for independence and redress for historical injustice. The exhibitions encourage us to reflect on what it means to be human, our connection to the world around us, and how we relate to each other.
science & medicine
Rijksmuseum Boerhaave
Rijksmuseum Boerhaave is the premier museum of science and medicine. Through its magnificent collection, the museum tells the stories of the most important Dutch inventions and discoveries, and their impact on our lives today.
The museum reflects five centuries of scientific history in the Netherlands. This history naturally encompasses a vast array of themes and stories, all of which you can explore in the museum.
Suffering & art
Museum de Lakenhal
Museum De Lakenhal is Leiden's museum of visual arts, history, and crafts. The city's illustrious past is highlighted in seven collection presentations.
Like the city itself, the museum combines a classic look with a contemporary and distinctive character. Its broad collection ranges from highlights of old art, including Lucas van Leyden's Last Judgment and modern classics by De Stijl, to commissioned works by contemporary artists, Claudy Jongstra, Atelier van Lieshout, and others. The city's eventful past is also explored in various collection presentations.
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dive into history
RIJKSMUSEUM VAN OUDHEDEN
The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden or The National Museum of Antiquities brings antiquity and archaeology to life. Everyone can enjoy the ancient civilizations of Egypt, the Classical World, the ancient Middle East, and the Netherlands during prehistory, the Roman period, and the Middle Ages.
Objects like a complete Egyptian temple transport you to ancient Egypt. Discover prehistory, the Roman period, and the Middle Ages. You'll also see world-famous mummy cases, majestic imperial statues, and ancient jewelry.
In addition to varied temporary exhibitions, there are lectures, audio tours, treasure hunts and children's activities during the school holidays.
Suffering & art
Japanmuseum sieboldhuis
The Japan Museum Sieboldhuis displays objects collected by Philipp Franz von Siebold during his stay on Deshima. Deshima was a Dutch trading post in Japan, which for a long time was the only point of contact between the Western world and Japan, which was otherwise isolated from the outside world.
The museum showcases the finest Japanese art, including ceramics, beautiful prints, fossils, and other treasures.
In addition to the permanent exhibition, there are regularly changing exhibitions about Japan.