Prince William V Gallery – Go back in time

Walk from the Mauritshuis along the Hofvijver and, ten minutes later, you’re standing in front of the Prince William V Gallery. It was built long ago for the art collection of Prince William V and later on became the basis of the Mauritshuis.

It’s a place full of stories: about a compulsive collector, stolen works of art and a strong woman. Will you join us?

Faye Feller

Historic content creator

Quentin Buvelot

Senior Curator Mauritshuis

Lars Boon

Historic

Sonny Monster

Collector

Quiz: what do you know about the Prince William V Gallery?

Before you start... a small test. Travel back in time and discover the very first museum of the Netherlands. Ready to test your knowledge? Let’s go!

Faye Feller will be your guide

Step inside the Prince William V Gallery and travel back in time. Take a quick look at the video.

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Faye Feller

Prince with a passion

It all began with William V, the last stadholder, who was a compulsive collector. Here you see a portrait of him by Johann Georg Ziesenis, from c. 1768-1769. William had collected and inherited so many paintings that they couldn’t all fit in the Binnenhof. What was he going to do with them all?

All audio clips

  • Quentin Buvelot

    Senior Curator Mauritshuis
Een overzichtsfoto van Galerij Prins Willem V. De wanden hangen van plint tot plafond vol schilderijen uit de 17e eeuw.

One-way ticket to Paris

The Gallery hadn’t been open long before it was forced to close. This was because the French arrived, and they stole a large part of the collection and brought it to the predecessor of the Louvre (which you can see next to this in the photo). How did the looted art find its way home?

All audio clips

  • Quentin Buvelot

    Senior Curator Mauritshuis
Hubert Robert, De Grande Galerie in het Louvre, 1796, olieverf op doek, 115 x 145 cm, Musée du Louvre, Parijs. Foto: RMN-Grand Palais (musée du Louvre) / Jean-Gilles Berizzi.

Wilhelmina of Prussia: teenager, strong woman

You’re looking into the eyes of a teenage girl. Barely grown up, but already married to the country’s most powerful man. Here, she has no idea that, later on, she’ll be constantly bailing him out.

All audio clips

  • Faye Feller

    Historic content creator

Compulsive collecting

Collect, collect, collect. Prince William V did it. And Sonny Monster can’t stop either. But why? Watch the video.

If the Gallery had eyes...

...what has it seen over the years? The fantastic view of the Binnenhof and the Torentje, of course. But perhaps also one of the most gruesome events in Dutch history. Lars of The Dutch Historian will tell you more.

If the Gallery had eyes... If the Gallery had eyes...

Want to know and discover more?

Would you like to experience the Prince William V Gallery for yourself? The gallery is about a ten-minute walk from the Mauritshuis. With a Combo Ticket, you can visit both the Mauritshuis and the Prince William V Gallery for just €24. Single tickets for the gallery can be purchased at the ticket desk of the Gevangenpoort only (not online). Enjoy your visit!

Buy a Combo Ticket
Prince William V Gallery

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