Lakenhal

The Lakenhal, officially Het Lakenhal, is a historic building and museum in Leiden, Netherlands. It takes its name from its original function as the cloth hall (laken means linen) of Leiden’s cloth and textile trade, a cornerstone of the city’s economy during the Dutch Golden Age.

The building was constructed in the 17th century as the central hall for the cloth guild and later served as a city hall and archive. In the 19th century it became the home of the municipal museum and cultural administration for Leiden. Today, Het Lakenhal houses Museum De Lakenhal, a public museum dedicated to Leiden’s history and the Dutch Golden Age.

The collection includes paintings and other artworks linked to Leiden and its region, as well as artifacts and archives related to the cloth trade and daily life in the city. The museum presents a broad view of Leiden’s social, economic, and artistic development, with a focus on the urban history of the town and its cultural heritage.

Architecturally, the Lakenhal is a prominent brick building with a stately façade and a richly decorated interior, representative of Dutch 17th-century civic architecture. In the 2010s, the building underwent a major restoration and expansion to modernize its facilities while preserving its historic character.

The Lakenhal remains a key cultural and historical landmark in Leiden, hosting temporary exhibitions and civic events, and serving as a focal point for studies of Leiden’s urban and economic history.