A glimpse into the past
A bike excursion through the architectural wonders of Benoordenhout, a bus tour on a historical the Hague Bus, a city ride in the old tram or on the Marshall steam tractor, a boat or even airplane experience of a sort – all vehicles are up and running during the Day of The Hague History.
The Hague Municipal Archives organizes the event for more than a decade, hoping to acquaint the Hague’s residents with the city’s rich history.
Most of the activities start at Het Plein, where participating organizations hand out mandatory free passes for the events.
Start the trip down the history lane the way ancestors did 2000 years ago – with a touch of lipstick Roman style, and a drop of your own freshly made perfume. Then walk the Roman border in the virtual reality and experience Scheveningen village life. Rest in the year 1842, with a taste of Van Kleef spirits, while writing about the day in a travel journal and then skip to the 20th century and the Second World War to witness its impact on the Hague.
Special doors around the city are open exclusively for this day, the Proceedings Room (Handelingenkamer), for example. This beautiful library that looks like it came straight from the fairytales, houses two centuries of Acts passed during the parliamentary debates. Other places can be visited both during and outside of the event – like Puchri studios or the bell tower of the main city church (Grote Kerk).
Ducks, geese and swans play a special role during the event. The camera in the photo-booth captures the best “duck” faces, skilled craftsmen teach the visitors to make the traditional “Goose board game”, or decorate linen bags with stamped birds’ trail, adventurous explorers can follow safari map and chase odd ducks in the city center, or take a ride in a swan pedal boat on Hofvijver.
Some activities are especially suited for English speaking visitors, for example a Boat tour with Ooievaart that starts at 2:30pm. And while you are in Dunne Bierkade, take a glimpse of the pop-up exhibition of Van Gogh’s replicas in Jan van Goyenhuis.
What: Day of The Hague History
Where: Het Plein and around
When: Saturday 14 April, from 11am to 4pm
Tickets: Mostly free, with mandatory passes to be collected at Het Plein
Photo: Het Plein, 2017, Amir Cengic Photography