Prison Gate Museum

The Prison Gate Museum in The Hague is a must-visit for anyone interested in history, especially the darker side of it. This place used to be a prison back in the 15th century and now it’s a museum that gives you a real feel of what it was like to be locked up and tried there.

History

The Prison Gate Museum has been around as a state museum since 1882 and has a huge collection of old punishment and torture instruments. It started as the main gate to the castle of the Counts of Holland, the Binnenhof, and later became the main prison for the Court of Holland. The medieval gate was expanded with jail cells and a courthouse. Suspects were kept in dark cells, waiting to be interrogated and sentenced. The Torture Chamber was where they were forced to confess, and sentences were often carried out right away, sometimes with a big audience watching. Some famous Dutch people like Cornelis de Witt and Dirk Volckertszoon Coornhert were also held here, but they got to stay in a nicer cell called the Knights’ Chamber.

How to Get There

The museum is right in the heart of The Hague’s Old Town, just a 10-minute walk from The Hague Central railway station (Den Haag Centraal). You can easily get there by tram or bus, and there are parking garages and secure bicycle parking nearby.

List of Attractions

1. Medieval Cells: Check out the narrow, dark cells where suspects were held.
2. Interrogation Chambers: See the rooms where confessions were extracted.
3. Torture Chamber: A grim reminder of the brutal methods used back then.
4. Instruments of Punishment and Torture: The museum has the country’s largest collection of these instruments.
5. Knights’ Chamber: The luxury cell where famous Dutchmen were held.
6. Lady’s Room: Offers a view over the Hofvijver and city life.

Ticket Information

Adult tickets are 15 euro and children/students are 7.50. However, if you have a pass or card like the Rembrandt pass or the Rotterdam pass the fee is free.

Tips for Visiting

1. Multilingual Audio Guides: Interactive audio guides are available at the entrance, giving you narrations from the perspectives of the prisoner, the jailer, the executioner, and the judge.
2. Accessibility: The museum isn’t wheelchair or stroller accessible because of its medieval design with narrow passages, high thresholds, and uneven floors.
3. Age Restriction: It’s not suitable for kids under 8 years old due to the disturbing content.
4. Crowd Avoidance: Visit during the week to avoid the weekend crowds, especially in the summer.
5. Special Exhibitions: Older kids can use a special audio guide and check out the dedicated exhibition in the former courthouse.

The Prison Gate Museum offers a unique and immersive experience into the history of crime and punishment in the Netherlands. You can explore the dark past of this former prison and get a deeper understanding of the cultural context surrounding it.