I have a brief overnight stop in Haarlem before four days in Amsterdam. I will be visiting the Rijksmuseum there. Given my limited time in Haarlem for sightseeing, is it worth a few hours at the Hals museum, or would that time be better spent exploring the city? I am a fan of Hals, btw...
Posted by
Sapulpa, OK, USA
6528 posts
I'd recommend this museum, even if you weren't a Hals fan. This is well worth your time, and as I recall, we had a tasty lunch in their café.
Posted by
Southeastern US
2607 posts
We liked it more than we were expecting to. It's a great little museum and the street it's on is picturesque.
Posted by
3 posts
Yes, I would add this to your trip. Hals has a strength and surety to his brushstrokes that I didn't appreciate until I visited. I was impressed by his choice of subjects, sense of humor, and humanity. I turned into a fan after my visit there.
Posted by
77 posts
Please be aware that at the moment some of the Frans Hals civil guards paintings are in London for the Frans Hals exhibition there. The museum is also about middle to late 16th Haarlem painters that contributed to the 17th painting culture in Haarlem. It gives you context of the environment and context Hals worked in. Interesting exhibition on 17th century Haarlem city scapes though. I have seen people being disappointed about the number of Hals presented. It is also named because this is the place where Frans Hals stayed in the later part of his life. Museum is closed on Monday, so something to be aware of. Maybe worth checking out their website.