Museum Paleis Het Loo to Open a 5000 Square Meter Modern Extension to the Historical Palace

On April 21, 2023, Museum Paleis Het Loo will open the new modern extension with large spaces for temporary and permanent exhibitions. Designed by KAAN Architects the new spaces are ingeniously located directly underneath the courtyard of the historical palace, once a home to King William III and Queen Mary II.

The new addition to Paleis Het Loo lies directly in front of the existing palace building, built underneath the grand courtyard to ensure that the view of the palace remains the same as when it was built nearly 350 years ago. Designed by Dutch architect Dikkie Scipio of KAAN Architects the new extension will display the permanent collection and temporary, themed exhibitions.

The 5000m2 new underground extension will house a permanent exhibition about the history of the House of Orange-Nassau (the Dutch royal family) and their role within The Netherlands, Europe and further afield. There are also large exhibition spaces that will explore the concept of ‘monarchy’ through different perspectives such as education (how is one educated to become monarch and how has this changed over time) or privacy (when one's life is so public).

Michel van Maarseveen, General Director of Paleis Het Loo: “The opening of the museum gives something totally new to the world. Now Paleis Het Loo brings extra relevance and a different and new meaning to the history and concept of ‘monarchy’. As an independent, national institution we explore all faces and connotations of the word ‘royalty’ for all societies and people of all backgrounds. The underground extension brings together contemporary design and history with respect to the 17th century palace as a unique collection piece."

Paleis Het Loo (in English the Het Loo Palace) was built as a summer palace in 1686 for the Dutch stadtholder Willem and his wife Mary Stewart, shortly before they became heads of state for England, Ireland and Scotland and The Netherlands. The palace remained a home for the Dutch royal family until the 1970s. From 1984 onwards it has been an independent national museum.

In April 2022 the unique 17th century former royal palace-building reopened after four years of intense restoration and conservation. This was carried out in order to bring the 17th century building up to the highest possible standards of sustainability, health and safety of today. Paleis Het Loo tells the story of over three centuries of court and country life of stadtholders, kings and queens: it is a palace, a house and home in one. The focus of the palace is on King-Stadtholder Willem III and Mary Stuart (both from the 17th century) and on the life of Queen Wilhelmina (from the 19th and 20th centuries). The history of the House of Orange is closely intertwined with the history of Europe and further afield, thus giving the palace and museum today a continued international relevance. With the opening of the museum this April, Paleis Het Loo brings a new critical, contemporary and comprehensive approach to their mission.

Paleis Het Loo is the first museum worldwide to explore ‘monarchy’ whilst a royal family still helms the nation.