Museum Gouda

Your visit to Gouda starts here!

Museum Gouda has a unique collection. From 16th-century altar pieces, 17th-century militia group portraits to French and Dutch paintings from the 19th century (The Hague School). Take a leap into the past and travel back in time to 1562 with the interactive city model. You can also enjoy the famous Gouda pottery, known as Gouds plateel, as well as the large open depot with clay pipes, modern art, silverware and many other objects. Gouda starts here!

Do you want to visit Museum Gouda? Buy your tickets here.

Opening hours

Museum Gouda Tuesday until Sunday 11h - 17h
The Museum café from Tuesday until Saturday 10h - 17h
The Museum café Sunday 11h - 17h

The museum and museum café are open on Easter Monday and Whit Monday. The museum is closed on January 1, King’s Day, and on December 25.

Admission prices and tickets

Do you want to visit Museum Gouda? Buy your tickets here.

Adults € 12
0 - 17 years free
Combiticket (Church of St. John, Museum Gouda and the Museum café) € 17
Museumkaart/ICOM* free

*The Museumkaart can be purchased at the admission desks in Museum Gouda, or ordered online via the Museumkaart website: museumkaart.nl

Tickets
Admission tickets are only available online. You pick a day and a timeslot. A limited number of tickets is available for each day and time. This will prevent too many people being in the museum at the same time and queues forming at the entrance (Achter de Kerk 14). This applies for all visitors, including those with free admission, e.g. Museumkaart holders or children aged 17 or under. This also applies for other cards that give free access or discounts, such as the CJP or Rotterdampas. Do you want to visit Museum Gouda? Buy your tickets here.

Address and route

Museum Gouda
Achter de Kerk 14
2801 JX Gouda
Tel: +31 (0)182 33 10 00
info@museumgouda.nl

Walking from the NS Railway station
It is a 10-minute walk from the NS Railway station to Museum Gouda. Follow the signs marked VVV; from the Marktplein, you will find signs to Museum Gouda. You can use our entrance at Achter de Kerk 14.

By car
Parking tip: Q-Park Bolwerk underground parking (Sint Mariewal 3). Follow the Hoge Gouwe from the underground car park and the signs marked VVV; from the Marktplein, you will find signs to Museum Gouda. You can use our entrance at Achter de Kerk 14.

Accessibility

Museum Gouda has limited accessibility for the disabled. Disabled persons are advised to use the entrance at Oosthaven 9, but due to national measures concerning the coronavirus this entrance is temporarily closed. Please announce your visit to Museum Gouda at the entrance Achter de Kerk 14 and one of our employees will guide you.

There is a parking space for the disabled on the Noodgodsbrug, between Oosthaven and Westhaven. A wheelchair is available; we recommend booking the wheelchair in advance.

The altarpieces, the civic guard portraits, the rooms with the temporary exhibition, the city scale model, and the Treasury are easily accessible.

The Gouda earthenware and the French/Hague School are more difficult to access. Unfortunately, there is no lift in the museum (as this is a listed building). We have a small present for those who are unable to visit the upper floor.

Museum Gouda

Exhibitions

Still life
The still life has been a popular genre of painting for centuries, and it has a long tradition. By the end of the nineteenth century, however, still life changes considerably. Artists in the Netherlands and Belgium abandon classical, realistically painted and arranged compositions. Exotic bouquets are replaced by flowers from the garden, luxury items give way to everyday pots and vases. More exuberant colours are used, and the images become more abstract. But the most important development: artists use the still life as a testing ground to explore and push the boundaries of form, colour and composition. The Still Life exhibition shows the essence and journey of the modern Dutch and Belgian still life.

Painting Outdoors
From the 1840s, artists headed out into nature to paint the landscape. Until that time, such paintings were made in the studio. The little hamlet of Barbizon, south of Paris, and the village of Oosterbeek, located on the edge of the Dutch Veluwe, develop into popular artist colonies in the middle of the nineteenth century. The exhibition Painting Outdoors presents the inspired work of French and Dutch artists that found their own interpretation to painting ‘en plein air’.

Children

Are you visiting Museum Gouda with your (grand)children? The museum offers various activities to make their visit even more fun.

Museum café

Tuesday to Saturday 10.00 - 17.00 hours
Sunday 11.00 - 17.00 hours

Museum café Gouda is the place to go for a nice cup of coffee, cake, and lunch in a wonderful museum surrounding. In the summer, you can enjoy your drink on the terrace of the beautiful museum garden, an oasis of calm in the city. The museum café is located at the entrance at Achter de Kerk 14. More information on: museumcafegouda.nl.

Museum shop

The museum shop is open from Tuesday to Saturday between 11.00 and 15.00 hours. The shop is currently only accessible with an entrance ticket to the museum. Among other things, the shop sells:

  • Books on Gouda, ceramics, and art
  • Postcards and reproductions
  • Brochures and catalogues
  • Gifts
  • Artefacts
  • Bags made from old banners

We stock a selection of books, collectables and momentos for all ages – perfect to remember your visit to Museum Gouda! We also sell related (gift) items during special exhibitions.

E-mail addresses

Do you have a question? Contact us at one of the addresses below: