Museum Panorama Mesdag becomes a national museum: preserving unique heritage

Minister Moes (Education, Culture and Science): “I am proud that Museum Panorama Mesdag is becoming a national museum. The panorama, painted by Mesdag together with his wife and other painters over a century ago, is a glimpse into the Netherlands of our ancestors. I find it remarkable that the family, after all these years, entrusts the care of the collection to the state. It is wonderful that we can preserve this unique heritage as a country, so that many more can enjoy it.”

The Panorama of Scheveningen shows a realistic view from the Seinpost dune. The canvas, measuring 120 meters in circumference and 14 meters in height, surrounds the viewer as if you are actually standing on the dune. In the 19th century, panoramas were popular tourist attractions, but unfortunately, most have been lost. The Panorama of Mesdag is the oldest example in the world that has been preserved. With more than a hundred thousand visitors annually, it has become an important cultural destination in The Hague.

In addition to the panorama canvas, the collection includes paintings, drawings, prints, and photo albums by Hendrik Willem Mesdag and Sientje Mesdag-van Houten and their contemporaries. The Protected Cultural Heritage Committee considers the entire collection to be irreplaceable and essential Dutch cultural property.

Steven Storm (descendant): “It is with pride and confidence that we as a family take this step. Our family – including Hendrik Willem Mesdag - has lovingly and devotedly preserved the heritage for almost 140 years. Now is the time to hand it over to the Netherlands, so that this unique treasure of national significance will continue to inspire, amaze, and connect many in the distant future.”

The museum has been in financial trouble for some time. To keep the collection together and prevent parts from being sold, the collection and museum buildings have been transferred to the state. For the public, not much will change: even as a national museum, Museum Panorama Mesdag remains responsible for exhibiting and managing the collection. For this, the museum will receive a subsidy of 1.8 million euros per year from the OCW budget for museum institutions, primarily for preserving and maintaining the collection.

Minke Schat (director Museum Panorama Mesdag): “This transfer marks a historic moment. The artistic, historical, and emotional value of this heritage is unparalleled. We are deeply grateful to the family for their generational care, and we look forward with optimism to a future where we can share the Panorama and the collection even more broadly.”

The municipality of The Hague is pleased that this Hague gem remains preserved and accessible. The municipality has worked hard in recent years to ensure that Museum Panorama Mesdag could keep its doors open to the public, including by providing emergency support. Even now that the museum is becoming a national museum, the municipality remains closely involved. The municipal subsidy allocated for the coming years will be used to increase the visibility and accessibility of the museum among young people.