Den Bosch (‘s-Hertogenbosch) is not only a destination for history geeks but also a place where art lovers can find some exciting and interesting exhibitions. Well, Den Bosch is not Amsterdam or Den Haag and it doesn’t boast museums like the Rijksmuseum or Mauritshuis, but nonetheless it has 3 museums where you can see fascinating collections and learn more about the history and art of the Dutch Province of North-Brabant. A visit to Den Bosch (’s-Hertogenbosch) cannot simply go without a visit to one of the three local museums: Het Noordbrabants Museum, Design Museum Den Bosch (former Stedelijk Museum ‘s-Hertogenbosch), or the The Jheronimus Bosch Art Centre.
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DISCLAIMER: I visited Het Noordbrabants Museum and the Design Museum during a preview organized by Instadenbosch. I had the opportunity to see 2 of the museums’ newest exhibitions before they were open to the public and then I could explore the permanent collections of the museums free of charge. Afterwards I revisited the museums many times.
1. Het Noordbrabants Museum
History of the building
Het Noordbrabants Museum is housed in what once was a Jesuit Monastery. The first monastery was built in the early 14th century. In 1615 the Jesuits took the monastery and turned it into a college. In 1629 the building was appropriated by the State and became governor’s home. Between 1767 and 1770 the Governor’s Palace was completely renovated and received its classical façade in Louis XVI-style. The interior of the palace, however, has elements of the Rococo style.
In 1984 after a short renovation the building was converted into a museum and it became the home of the Noordbrabants Museum. In 2013 the museum underwent renovation and it was connected to the newly built Stedelijk Museum at this time, which today is called Design Museum Den Bosch. The two museums form today the so-called Museum Quarter in Den Bosch – a hub for art lovers and a must-see for all tourists who visit Den Bosch.
Read more: To find out what else you can do and see in Den Bosch (‘s-Hertogenbosch), read my complete city guide for this beautiful place in the Netherlands.
Plan your visit
Noordbrabants Museum is conveniently located in the city centre, at just a few minutes walk from the Sint-Jan (St. John’s Cathedral). If you are visiting Den Bosch by train or by bus, it will take you less than 15 minutes to walk from the Central Train/Bus Station. If you are coming by car, the best is to use the St. Jan’s Parking Garage. There’s another parking (Wolvenhoek) that’s closer to the museum, but as it’s relatively small, it can get full quite quickly.
Parking
- Wolvenhoek Parking – Wolvenhoek 12, 5211 HH ’s-Hertogenbosch
- St. Jan Parking – Hekellaan 25, 5211 LZ ‘s-Hertogenbosch
Address: Verwersstraat 41, ’s-Hertogenbosch
Opening hours: 11:00 – 17:00 (Tuesday – Sunday), closed on Mondays, 27 April, 25 December and 1 January.
Accessibility: The Museum is accessible for people with reduced mobility.
Admission fees: Adult tickets cost 19 EUR and children under age of 18 years can visit the museum for free. If you buy your tickets online, you also save 2 EUR.
Check the availability here:
Pro tip: Buy a combination ticket only for 28 EUR and you can visit 2 museums in Den Bosch: Het Noordbrabants Museum and the Design museum. You save 5 EUR!
Collections and exhibitions
Noordbrabants Museum is THE place to learn about Brabant’s history, art and culture: from the Romans that lived on the territory of today’s North-Brabant, to the famous medieval artist Hieronymus Bosch, to Van Gogh, and up to contemporary art and design.
The Romans in Brabant
The Romans came in Brabant somewhere in the 1st century BC and stayed until the 3rd – 4th century AD. In the collection about the Romans there are exhibited a lot of objects and artifacts from the archaeological sites in North-Brabant. It is quite interesting to learn how people lived those days by looking at the objects they’ve used in their everyday life.
Collection of paintings (1500 – 1800)
Notable is the collection of paintings by the Bruegel family and their successors. There’s also a lovely collection of flower still lives where you can see the famous tulips that led to the Dutch Tulip Mania in the 17th century. Well, those tulips do not exist today anymore as they were actually sick with the tulip breaking virus.
Story of Brabant
The Story of Brabant is an exhibition about Brabant’s pride: you can find here everything that made this Dutch province famous: from the DAF 600 (the first passenger car of the famous Dutch automotive company) to paintings by the greatest medieval artist Hieronymus Bosch, who was born in Den Bosch.
A significant part of this exhibition is dedicated to Vincent Van Gogh who was born in Zundert (a small village in the southern part of North-Brabant) and started his career as a painter in rural Brabant. In the Story of Brabant there are exhibited 9 paintings from the Dutch period of the artist.
You can spot there also the painting from the 16th century that served as a model for the well and the statue that were placed in the middle of the Market Square in 2015.
The Story of Brabant is an interactive exhibition which uncovers Brabant’s history in a fun and entertaining way.
Temporary Exhibitions
Besides the permanent exhibitions that showcase the Museum’s collection, there are always a couple of temporary exhibitions that feature both contemporary art and thematic historical paintings. So if you have visited the museum once you won’t be bored re-visiting it.
2. Design Museum Den Bosch
History
Design Museum Den Bosch started in the 1950’s as a showcase for the students of the Royal Art Academy of Art and Design in Den Bosch and established itself as a municipal exhibition centre in 1972. It changed many places until it found its home in the brand new building especially designed to house the museum and its collections. In 2013 the museum moved to its new home adjacent to Het Noordbrabants Museum.
Fun fact: Until 1 June 2018 the museum was known as Stedelijk Museum ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
Plan your visit
You can reach the museum via Noordbrants Museum as the two museums are interconnected. The museum has its own entrance at the De Mortel 4, 5211 HV ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
Scroll up for more info on parking and public transport.
Opening hours: 11:00 – 17:00 (Tuesday – Sunday), every first Thursday of the month 19:00 – 22:00; closed on Mondays, 27 April, 25 December and 1 January.
Admission fees: Adult tickets cost 14 EUR and children under age of 18 years can visit the museum for free.
Pro tip: Buy a combination ticket only for 28 EUR and you can visit 2 museums in Den Bosch: Het Noordbrabants Museum and the Design museum. You save 5 EUR!
Collection and exhibitions
The Museum has one of the biggest international collections of modern ceramics and jewelry which are exhibited under different themes in one of the museum halls.
Rather than just showcasing pretty objects, the museum focuses on how design shapes everyday life – from the things we wear to the spaces we live in. You’ll find an excellent collection of contemporary ceramics and jewelry, along with rotating exhibitions that explore design’s role in culture and society.
3. Jheronimus Bosch Art Centre
The Jheronimus Bosch Art Centre is dedicated to the greatest medieval painter Hieronymus Bosch (1450 – 1516), famous for the fantastic figures and detailed landscapes. It’s not a traditional museum, but more of an immersive tribute – a place where you step directly into the surreal worlds he created.
History of the building
The Art Centre is housed in a former church, the 15th-century St. Jacob’s Church. After years of serving the local community, the church fell out of use and eventually found new life as a cultural venue dedicated to Bosch. The transformation preserved the building’s soaring architecture – think high arches and tall stained-glass windows – while adapting it into a light, open exhibition space. You can also climb the 40-m church tower for panoramic views across Den Bosch’s old town.
Plan your visit
The Art Centre is located in the heart of the city. If you come by car, the best would be to park at the St. Jan Parking Garage (Hekellaan 25, 5211 LZ ‘s-Hertogenbosch). If you come by bus or train, it takes about 20 minutes.
Address: Jeroen Boschplein 2, 5211 ML ’s-Hertogenbosch
Opening hours: April to October: 11:00 – 17:30 (Tuesday – Sunday), March, November, December: 12:00 – 17:00 (Tuesday – Sunday); closed on Mondays
Admission fees: Adult tickets cost 12 EUR and children under age of 6 years can visit the museum for free; children, aged 6-12 years, pay 5 EUR.
Collection
While the centre doesn’t hold original Bosch paintings (those are spread across major museums worldwide), it features full-scale, high-quality reproductions of all his known works. These replicas allow you to get up close to every tiny, bizarre detail – hybrid creatures, fantastical landscapes, and symbolic scenes that Bosch is famous for.
The space also includes sculptures inspired by his characters, multimedia displays that help decode his symbolism, and rotating exhibitions about his influence on art and popular culture. It’s especially great if you want to understand Bosch’s world on a deeper and more playful level.
