National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden
Location map and aerial view of National Museum of Antiquities. For a larger interactive view, see our Leiden Map.
No visit to Leiden is complete without a stop in the magnificent National Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden), the most comprehensive museum of its kind in the Netherlands.
History
The Museum of Antiquities opened in 1818, and over the years it has acquired an impressive collection of Egyptian, Near East, Greek, and Roman artifacts. It's still a center for archaeological research, and museum staff travel regularly to Egypt to conduct further excavations.
What to See
The first exhibit one comes to is the magnificent Egyptian Temple of Taffeh from the 1st century AD, a gift from Egypt and the museum's pride and glory. The temple is in the lobby so that it can be seen for free by all visitors - this was a condition of the gift. You can enter the small temple, where there is a Greek inscription and a cross carved in the wall, showing later Christian use.
Greek and Roman sculpture are well represented and there are some beautiful examples of Greek decorated ceramics. The top floor provides an overview of the archaeological finds in the Netherlands from prehistoric times to the early Middle Ages.
Getting There
The Rijksmuseum is a 10-minute walk from Leiden Centraal Station (see map below). Parking is not available near the museum; the best option is to park at the Haagweg car park and catch a shuttle bus to the museum. There is one parking place in front of the museum for cars with an official handicapped parking license.
Quick Facts
| Site Information | |
| Names: | National Museum of Antiquities; Rijksmuseum van Oudheden; National Museum of Antiquities |
| Location: | Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands |
| Category: | Museums |
| Visitor Information | |
| Address: | Rapenburg 28, Leiden, South Holland, The Netherlands |
| Coordinates: | 52.158358° N, 4.486027° E (view on Google Maps) |
| Lodging: | View hotels near this location |
| Phone: | 071/516-3163 |
| Website: | www.rmo.nl |
| Opening hours: | Tue-Sun 10am-5pm Closed Mondays and Jan 1, Apr 30, Oct 3, Dec 25 |
| Cost: | €8.50 adults; €5.50 children |
Travel Resources
- Leiden Map - our detailed interactive map of Leiden, plus hand-picked links to more
- Leiden Hotels - check availability, maps, photos and reviews, and book at the guaranteed lowest price
- Leiden Car Rentals - get the lowest rate by comparing multiple car companies at a glance
Article Sources
- Personal visits (November 2006; July 31, 2008).
- Rijksmuseum van Oudheden - official website
Last updated on September 7, 2010.
