General Terms and Conditions for Visitors

1. General

1.1. These terms and conditions apply to all Visitors of the Museum.

1.2. These terms and conditions also apply to all natural persons and/or legal persons involved by the Mauritshuis in the fulfilment of its objectives.

1.3. Deviations from these conditions are only valid if they are explicitly agreed in writing.

2. Definitions

In these terms and conditions, the following definitions apply:

3. Museum Access

3.1. The Visitor is entitled to enter the exhibition rooms of the Museum solely upon presentation of a valid Admission Ticket.

3.2. The Visitor will be denied (further) access to the Museum in the event that:
a. the Admission Ticket has not been provided by the Mauritshuis or an institution or organisation authorised for that purpose by the Mauritshuis;
b. the Visitor is manifestly under the influence of alcoholic drinks, narcotics or similar substances;
c. the Visitor is manifestly acting as a disturbance, or has the intention to do so;
d. the Visitor intends to enter the Museum with bare feet and/or a bare torso.

3.3. A pre-purchased Entrance Ticket becomes invalid after the expiration of the date and/or time stated on the Entrance Ticket.

3.4. The Mauritshuis is entitled to adjust the regular opening times to accommodate incidental exercises as part of emergency services (article 23 of the Occupational Health & Safety Law) or, in the event of an emergency, a full or partial evacuation of the Museum, deemed necessary by the Mauritshuis. 

3.5. The Museum performs a security check of the Visitor and his or her luggage. In this connection, the Visitor may be requested to cooperate with the inspection of bags and similar items by or on behalf of the employees of the Mauritshuis. If the Visitor refuses to cooperate with the inspection, he or she may have their access to the Museum revoked without being entitled to a refund.

3.6. The following objects may not be taken into the Museum:

a. guns, fire and shooting weapons: any object which can be used to fire a projectile or to cause injuries or material damages, or which it appears can be used to this end;
b. pointed and/or sharp weapons and sharp objects: objects with points or cutting edges which can be used to cause injury or material damage;
c. blunt objects which could cause injury;
d. explosive and flammable substances;
e. chemical and toxic substances;
f. bottles or tubes containing liquids.

3.7. If these items are discovered during the security check, they will be confiscated. If the Visitor refuses to surrender the items liable to confiscation, access to the Museum will be denied.

3.8. Items discovered during the security check which are prohibited by law, will be handed over to the police. If the Visitor is in possession of these items, he or she may be arrested and handed over to the police.

3.9. For reasons of security, the Visitor must be identifiable. A Visitor whose face is not visible, and who refuses to show his or her face during the security check, will be denied access to the Museum.

3.10. The Museum is not accessible to mobility scooters and skaters.

4. Stay at the Museum

4.1. The Visitor's stay at the Museum is at the Visitor's own expense and risk.

4.2. The Visitor is required to adhere to these General Terms and Conditions for Visitors and to the directions and instructions provided by employees of the Mauritshuis, recognisable as such. In case, in the opinion of the employees of the Mauritshuis, a Visitor breaches these Terms and Conditions for Visitors or the provided directions and instructions in any way, he or she may be denied further access to the Museum without the Mauritshuis having to pay for any damages or a refund. If the Visitor repeatedly violates the provisions in the General Terms and Conditions for Visitors or the directions and instructions provided by the employees, the Mauritshuis may deny him or her access to the Museum for a specific amount of time. The decision to deny access is communicated to the Visitor immediately, if possible in writing.

4.3. Children under 12 years may only visit the Museum under supervision.

4.4. Use of the cloakroom is obligatory.

4.5. Bags of a size equal to or smaller than A4 may be taken along into the Museum. Any other objects may not. The Mauritshuis reserves the right to refuse to keep objects in the cloakroom. All carriages (prams, buggies and disabled carriages) may be subjected to inspection.

4.6. The Visitor is responsible for any damage he or she may cause.

4.7. CCTV is in operation in the Museum. Camera images are kept in accordance with the legal provisions (Personal Data Protection Act) and are made available for police use if necessary.

4.8. The Mauritshuis is entitled to deny access to the Museum for a specific amount of time to a Visitor who, during one or several previous visit(s) to the Museum or to other museums, has damaged an object through own fault, gross negligence and/or deliberately, or if the fear of damage by the Visitor is justified in another way. In any case, the Mauritshuis can subject this Visitor to the measures listed in 4.2 during each of his or her visits. The decision to deny access is communicated to the Visitor immediately, if possible in writing.

4.9. In the event of emergencies, e.g. the sudden disappearance of a work of art, a terrorist attack or violence of another order, the Mauritshuis has the right to close its doors and to let out the Visitors present one by one. The Visitor can then be requested to cooperate with an inspection of bags and other objects by, or on behalf of, the employees of the Mauritshuis. Visitors refusing to cooperate with the inspection will be requested to provide proof of identity before leaving the Museum.

4.10. The Mauritshuis regularly lets photo and film reports take place in the Museum. This material may be used for advertisement purposes on the website, in leaflets, etc. By entering the Museum, the Visitor declares to agree with the publication of this material. If the Visitor objects to the release of images on which he or she is identifiable, this can be communicated to the Museum. The Mauritshuis will then strive to prevent publication of the material. 

5. House Rules

5.1. In the Museum, the Visitor shall:

a. not touch any of the exhibited objects or the wall coverings; Visitors must keep a minimum distance of 50 centimetres to the exhibited objects. Parents and teachers or guides must strictly ensure that the exhibited objects are not touched by the minor(s), individual(s) or group(s) they are accompanying;
b. not offer any goods of any kind for sale to others, or supply them for free; 
c. not hinder other visitors, including, but not limited to, hindering their view of the exhibited objects for a long time or causing a noise nuisance, e.g. by using the multimedia tour without headphones;
d. not take pets or animals along, except for guide dogs;
e. not smoke;
f. not eat or drink, except in the Brasserie and in the forecourt; this without prejudice to the obligation to consume in the Brasserie; drinks and food and bottles may not be taken along into the exhibition rooms;
g. not make any photo, video or film recordings while using lamps, flashes and/or tripods (including ‘selfie sticks’) without prior written consent from the management of the Mauritshuis;
h. not draw or paint without prior written consent from the Mauritshuis. The Visitor may refer to the service desk to this end.

5.2. Parents, teachers and other guides are responsible and accountable at all times for the behaviour of the minors, individuals or groups they are accompanying.

5.3. For primary schools, at least one supervisor must be present per group of 15 pupils, if a tour or museum class is being given. For independent group visits, the minimum is two supervisors per 15 pupils. For secondary schools, at least one supervisor must be present per group of 15 pupils. The Mauritshuis reserves the right to deny access to groups which do not fulfil these conditions.

5.4. For guided tours, there is a maximum of 15 persons per Museum guide and 15 persons per external guide.

5.5. Notwithstanding the provisions of 5.1g, photo, video and/film recordings made in the Museum may only be used for commercial purposes after express written permission to do so by the Mauritshuis, in which case the applicable price list will be used.

6. Refund

6.1 The Mauritshuis is not obliged to refund the cost of an unused Entrance Ticket.

6.2. The following conditions shall never lead to any refund obligation of any paid money or other damage compensation by the Mauritshuis to the Visitor. 

a. the unavailability of objects from the Museum's permanent collection;
b. the Museum being partially closed, including, but not limited to, partial closing as a result of setting up or taking down exhibitions;
c. a modification to the regular opening hours due to exercises for emergency services or, in case of an emergency, a full or partial evacuation of the Museum, deemed necessary by the Mauritshuis;
d. nuisance or discomfort caused by other visitors, including, but not limited to, noise nuisance, inappropriate behaviour (including molestation), theft;
e. damage caused by other visitors;
f. nuisance or discomfort caused by maintenance activities, including, but not limited to, renovation or (re)arrangement of rooms;
g. nuisance or discomfort caused by Museum facilities not functioning as required;
h. denial of access to the Museum;
i. loss of the Admission Ticket / Entrance Ticket.
j. a Visitor arriving too late in the case of time slots.

7. Responsibility

7.1. The Mauritshuis is only responsible for harm or loss suffered by the Visitor that is a direct result of gross negligence or wilful misconduct on the part of the Mauritshuis. The claim shall always be limited to the lowest of the following two amounts:

a. the amount issued by the insurer of the Museum to the Mauritshuis for the individual claim in question; or
b. the compensation issued by a third party to the Mauritshuis for the individual claim in question.
c. in the event of loss as a result of death or physical injury, the total liability of the Mauritshuis shall never exceed the amounts described in the compensation arrangement in 7.1a or b.

7.2 The Mauritshuis shall never be liable for indirect damages, including consequential loss, a loss of profits or salary, missed savings, etc.

8. Force Majeure

8.1. Force majeure for the Mauritshuis, under which any shortcoming ensuing from the said force majeure cannot be attributed to the Mauritshuis, shall be understood to mean any foreseeable or unforeseeable circumstance hampering the performance of the agreement by the Mauritshuis to such an extent that performance of the agreement becomes impossible or problematic, whether on a temporary or permanent basis.
8.2. Such circumstances shall also be understood to include circumstances involving persons and/or services and/or institutions that the Mauritshuis wishes to make use of in its performance of the visitors agreement and also everything that constitutes force majeure or a suspensive or resolutive condition for the aforementioned, as well as attributable failures shortcomings by the aforementioned.

9. Lost and Found

9.1. Objects found by the Visitor in the Museum can be handed over either to an employee, or at the cash desks or information desk of the Mauritshuis.

9.2. The Mauritshuis will store the found objects and, in the case of valuable objects, hand them over to the police in the Hague. In case the alleged owner of a found object comes forward, he or she will have the choice to either come pick up the objects in person, or have them shipped to him or her as COD. In both cases, the owner must be able to provide reliable proof of identity. In case of doubt on the part of the Mauritshuis concerning the status of the alleged owner, the Mauritshuis is entitled to require proof of ownership.

9.3. The Mauritshuis reserves the right to destroy found objects which have not been collected within three months.

10. Complaints

Visitors may voice possible complaints by email to mail@mauritshuis.nl or at the service desk.

11. Other Conditions and Applicable Law

The applicability of these General Terms and Conditions for Visitors does not hinder the possible applicability of other contractual terms and/or arrangements of the Mauritshuis, as published from time to time on Mauritshuis.nl.

These General Terms and Conditions for Visitors, and the agreement between the Visitor and the Mauritshuis, are subject to Dutch law.

These Terms and Conditions for Visitors have been established by the Management.

The Management of the Mauritshuis,

M. Gosselink 
Director

A. van Dommele
Business Director