Berlage built the building in 1935 with a brick rather than marble or stone exterior. The reason for that was that he felt that the façade should not impress the public, but would invite them in. Nowadays, the museum is a masterpiece of modern architecture. The interior has colorful tiles, bronze window frames and subtle detailing. Berlage did everything he could to accommodate the public, creating a convenient museum where people could fully enjoy art. Entering in a long hallway with glass walls, visitors come into a dazzling foyer. The exhibition areas are not too big and where possible screened off from the corridors to avoid distraction. Besides, every gallery has a unique daylight. In 1998 a restoration took place by Braaksma en Roos, with the addition of a new fashion gallery in the basement.

The museum's permanent collection focuses on four themes, namely Modern Art, Applied Arts, Fashion and Music. The Modern Art department covers the 19th and 20th centuries and range from Romantic, The Hague School, Impressionism, Neo-Impressionism and Symbolism to Expressionism, Cubism, De Stijl and Magical Realism, and finally to New Babylon, Zero and the many forms of the new painting in recent years. The museum also focuses special attention on Piet Mondrian, whose work is distributed over four rooms. The display of Applied Arts includes Hague silver, porcelain, Delftware and European glass, as well as furniture.

The showcases of the fashion gallery are devoted to the art of the Near, Middle and Far East. Some Islamic works of art are included as well. The 'Dijsselhof Room' is one of the few surviving complete Dutch interiors from around 1900. The rooms of the music department were recently rearranged and now include rooms for musical practice, orchestral display and exhibitions. It is now possible to study musical instruments at various levels: specialist studies (technical drawings, educational projects), displays of replicas (as if in a concert) and exhibitions of instruments on varying themes.

Location
Municipal Museum The Hague
Stadhouderslaan 41 
2517 HV The Hague 
Tel: +31 (0)70 3381111
Email: info@gemeentemuseum.nl
http://www.gemeentemuseum.nl