Rijksmuseum Meermanno has acquired the neighboring property at Prinsessegracht 32 in The Hague, adding 300 square meters to the museum’s floor space. As the world’s oldest book museum prepares to celebrate its 175th anniversary in 2027, it is developing a renewal plan. The expansion is an integral part of that plan, enabling the museum to bring its collection back “home” and develop into a strong, forward-looking institution equipped for the future.

The acquisition coincides with a change in the museum’s name. In 2012, the institution adopted Huis van het Boek as its primary public name, partly in connection with its administrative collaboration with the National Library of the Netherlands (KB). In 2026, it adopted the name Rijksmuseum Meermanno, returning to a name rooted in its history as the Rijksmuseum Meermanno-Westreenianum, which officially opened to the public in 1852. The name also reflects the museum’s role as the custodian of a national heritage collection under the Dutch Heritage Act.

Study Center

Rijksmuseum Meermanno manages a national heritage collection of approximately 500,000 objects, including 90,000 historical books, early printed books, and rare medieval manuscripts. The acquisition of Prinsessegracht 32 will make it possible to establish a new study center with an on-site storage facility. At the heart of the new facility will be the Reading Room, where researchers, students, and visitors can engage directly with the collection. This welcoming space will encourage a love of books, inviting everyone to read, study, or simply find inspiration among the museum’s centuries-old treasures. The new facility will add a public-facing function to The Hague’s historic Museum Quarter.

Reasons for the Expansion

The expansion is driven by two main considerations. First, there is an urgent need to safeguard the collection. A substantial part of it is currently stored in off-site facilities on the grounds of the KB National Library of the Netherlands in The Hague. These grounds will be redeveloped in the coming years, meaning the museum will lose access to this external storage space.

Second, the museum has reached the physical limits of its current buildings, with insufficient space for educational activities and visitor facilities. The acquisition of Prinsessegracht 32 presents a unique opportunity to address both challenges at once. The new location will act as a catalyst for further development: by combining functions efficiently and relocating them to the new building, the museum will free up much-needed space in its existing buildings for visitors and educational projects.

Development and 175th Anniversary

The acquisition marks the first step in an ambitious and necessary renewal plan. The purchase was made possible in part through the support of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Municipality of The Hague, and the Friends of Rijksmuseum Meermanno Foundation.

In 2027, the museum will celebrate its 175th anniversary. During this anniversary year, it will seek partners and donors willing to invest in the museum’s future and help bring the plan to fruition. The priorities are to improve visitor facilities and educational spaces in the existing buildings and to establish the study center in the newly acquired property. The museum is working toward completion by the end of 2030.