In 1820 the Dutch state bought the Mauritshuis for the purpose of housing the Royal Cabinet of Paintings. The new museum opened its doors in 1822. At first the building also housed the Royal Cabinet of Rarities, another collection that had been owned by the stadholders. Only in 1875 did the entire Mauritshuis become available for the collection of paintings.
Over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, the Mauritshuis has grown into a museum that attracts visitors from all over the world. The building was not designed for such intensive use, however, so between 1982 and 1987 it was renovated to meet the requirements of a modern museum.
In this museum one can view two famous paintings
of Johannes Vermeer, The Girl with a Pearl Earring
and View of Delft and many more
renowned paintings of Rembrandt van Rijn,
Paulus Potter and Jan Steen.
