The museum is housed in the former St. Catherine's Convent, which served as a commandery of the Knights Hospitaller.
It holds the oldest known Dutch translation of the New Testament, dating to the 13th century.
The collection contains the world’s most extensive array of medieval Dutch panel paintings.
The site features a 16th-century 'preekstoel' (pulpit) that remains a focal point of the chapel.
The museum's holdings include rare 17th-century textiles and ecclesiastical vestments worn by Dutch clergy.
It maintains a specialized library focusing on theology, church history, and the history of art in the Netherlands.
The building's architecture is a composite of different historical phases, including a preserved 15th-century monastery kitchen.
Museum Catharijneconvent is the national museum for the history of Christianity in the Netherlands, housed within a 15th-century former medieval convent. The permanent collection showcases the evolution of Dutch religious art, spanning from early medieval illuminated manuscripts to contemporary installations. Visitors can explore the preserved convent chapel and the cloister gardens, which retain their original architectural layout. The collection features a significant number of gold and silver liturgical objects, including reliquaries and chalices. It serves as a repository for national treasures that reflect the cultural shifts in Dutch society throughout the centuries. The museum often curates temporary exhibitions that contextualize religious history within broader socio-political developments.
The central cloister garden provides a balanced view of the medieval architecture and surrounding brickwork.
Check the digital interactive guides before visiting to prioritize specific historical periods.
Look for the museum's rotating temporary exhibitions that often feature loan pieces not usually on public display.
Do not overlook the garden, which is one of the quietest and most intact historical spaces in the city center.
Closed on Mondays.
