Collection
The collection at Paleis Het Loo comprises more than 160,000 items. Some of them are the museum’s own collection, while others are items on loan. The collection as a whole consists of a range of subcollections, from paintings to furniture and costumes. It even includes the plants in the garden!!
How the collection came about
Paleis Het Loo is a historical palace and a modern museum. We present the past and present of the Dutch royal family from diverse and relevant perspectives, in the palace and the garden, in the permanent exhibit on The House of Orange, in temporary exhibitions and online. The collection came about after Paleis Het Loo became a museum in the 1970s. Before then, it had been a royal palace. Many of the contents of the palace and the auxiliary buildings became part of the national collection, and there have been many further additions over the years, including items on loan from the royal family and purchases. A growing proportion of the collection can be viewed online.
Loans
The collection at Paleis Het Loo has expanded, with new purchases and items on loan from the Royal Collections, the Orange-Nassau Historical Association, the Museum of the Chancery of Dutch Orders, other museums and private individuals.
Some of the collection can be viewed online at:
Koninklijke Verzamelingen (Royal collections)
Geschiedkundige Vereniging Oranje-Nassau (the Historical Society of Orange-Nassau)
Vereniging Rembrandt (network of art lovers who are working together to strengthen the Dutch art collection)
Collectie Gelderland (regional deposit of more than 650,000 objects from the province of Gelderland)
Collaborations
Items on long-term loan from the Royal Collections are on display in the palace and the stables. The Royal Collections also assist with preparations for exhibitions and publications. For more information, visit: www.koninklijkeverzamelingen.nl/en/.
The collection at Paleis Het Loo is constantly changing and expanding as a result of gifts, long-term loans and purchases. In each case, careful consideration is given to whether the object in question is compatible with the collection, or will add something to a permanent exhibit or temporary exhibition. The provenance of the object is also investigated.
Please note that our museum staff may not accept any objects.