Museums

Leiden University acted as a magnet, attracting to the city many great scientists who often taught at the university. These included Einstein, Kamerling Onnes, de Sitter and Ehrenfest, but other prominent figures like the physician Von Siebold and Boerhaave made Leiden their home too. The scientists’ passion for collecting contributed to the many museums in Leiden. No other city in the Netherlands has so many fantastic museums within walking distance of each other. A rich and surprising range of nature, art, culture and science.

European Museum of the Year

Naturalis Biodiversity Center has been named European Museum of the Year 2021! The European Museum of the Year Award is the oldest and most prestigious museum award in Europe. With this win, another Leiden museum has won this prize. In 2019, Rijksmuseum Boerhaave was also allowed to call itself European Museum of the Year.

“It is a very resourceful museum with beautiful exhibitions and a multitude of public services and events,” said the jury about Naturalis.

Rijksmuseum Boerhaave

Exhibitions - Now on show in Leiden museums

Experience the museum from home

 

Did you know that you can also admire many Leiden museums from home? An online tour of Museum de Lakenhal, a virtual visit to Naturalis or fun home activities from the Museum of Ethnology.

More highlights