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Visitors at the kimono display inside Wereldmuseum Leiden

The best museums in Leiden

As you would expect from a university city, Leiden's museums are world-class — and with thirteen of them within walking distance of each other, a cold or rainy day here is never wasted.

Museum in the spotlight

Display cases with ancient pots and vases at the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden

Rijksmuseum van Oudheden

The crown jewel of Leiden's museums. Permanent galleries cover Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Near East and the Netherlands, and the collection of mummies, sarcophagi and the Temple of Taffeh is superb. Excellent for adults and children alike.

Rapenburg 28 € 16 · Museumkaart
Buy ticketsVisit Rijksmuseum van Oudheden

Top museums in Leiden

The six experiences to plan first.

  • Entrance of Wereldmuseum Leiden with blossom and a totem poleOur top pick

    Wereldmuseum Leiden

    Wereldmuseum Leiden is one of the world's oldest ethnographic museums, with major collections from Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas.

    Buy ticketsVisit Wereldmuseum Leiden
  • The Rapenburg canal in Leiden, home to the National Museum of Antiquities

    Rijksmuseum van Oudheden

    The National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden holds Egyptian mummies, the Temple of Taffeh and Greek, Roman and Dutch archaeology. Visitor guide, tickets and tips.

    Buy ticketsVisit Rijksmuseum van Oudheden
  • The skeleton of T. rex Trix at Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden

    Naturalis

    Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden is home to Trix the Tyrannosaurus rex, a nine-metre mosasaur and millions of specimens. Tickets, tips and opening advice.

    Buy ticketsVisit Naturalis
  • The red CORPUS building in Oegstgeest near Leiden

    CORPUS

    CORPUS near Leiden is an interactive journey through the human body. Address, map, opening hours, tickets and visitor tips.

    Buy ticketsVisit CORPUS
  • Gallery with Dutch Golden Age paintings in Leiden

    Museum De Lakenhal

    Museum De Lakenhal in Leiden shows early Rembrandts, Lucas van Leyden and the story of the 1574 siege in a 17th-century cloth hall. Visitor guide.

    Buy ticketsVisit Museum De Lakenhal
  • Giant water lilies in the tropical glasshouse of the Hortus botanicus Leiden

    Hortus botanicus

    Founded in 1590, the Hortus botanicus Leiden holds Clusius' tulip garden, tropical glasshouses, a Japanese garden and 300-year-old trees. Visitor guide.

    Buy ticketsVisit Hortus botanicus

Intimate and special

  • Japanese kimonos on display at Japanmuseum SieboldHuis in Leiden

    Japanmuseum SieboldHuis

    Behind a 17th-century Dutch facade sits a collection of thousands of Japanese objects gathered by the Bavarian physician Philipp Franz von Siebold in the 19th century.

    Rapenburg 19 € 9 · Museumkaart
    Buy ticketsVisit Japanmuseum SieboldHuis
  • Narrow medieval alley in central Leiden

    American Pilgrim Museum

    A tiny 14th-century house furnished as the Pilgrims would have known it, with 16th- and 17th-century maps and engravings. Essential for American visitors tracing ancestry, and the curator's storytelling is a highlight in itself.

    Beschuitsteeg 9 € 5
    Buy ticketsVisit American Pilgrim Museum
  • Windmill De Valk in Leiden reflected in the water of the Singel

    De Valk windmill

    A seven-storey working city windmill turned museum, with the miller's living quarters preserved and a view over the old town from the stage.

    2e Binnenvestgracht 1 € 6 · Museumkaart
    Buy ticketsVisit De Valk windmill

More museums

Frequently asked questions

Are Leiden museums open on Monday?
Most Leiden museums are closed on Mondays. Naturalis and CORPUS usually stay open — always check the museum's own website before travelling.
Is the Museumkaart valid in Leiden?
Yes, the Dutch Museumkaart is accepted at most Leiden museums, including the National Museum of Antiquities, De Lakenhal, Boerhaave and Wereldmuseum Leiden. CORPUS is a commercial attraction and is not included.

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