The Hague Historical Museum is holding an exhibition on the subject of the "corona times". Photo essays, signs, posters and all kinds of corona-related and quarantine-centric artefacts that tell a story about the strange reality we have been living in 2020 will be on display!

The exhibition, entitled "The Corona Collection - The Hague in Lockdown" is produced in collaboration with The Hague Municipal Archives and Stroom Den Haag.

When events in 2020 became a historic fact

At the beginning of the coronavirus in the Netherlands in March 2020, The Hague changed suddenly: supermarket shelves quickly emptied, streets were deserted and museums, theatres, gyms, schools, bars and restaurants shut their doors. Public life came to a standstill as The Hague entered "intelligent lockdown". With life being turned on its head, it was only a matter of time before one of the Dutch museums dedicated an exhibition to these extraordinary events.

To record this unprecedented experience that suddenly became the norm, and its impact on the city for future generations, The Historical Museum of The Hague gathered the Corona Collection. Owing to the help and support from hundreds of residents of the Hague, including volunteers and photographers, a massive collection of objects, diaries and photos were brought together.

Visitors to the exhibition can examine the consequences of the first lockdown and the impact of it on The Hague and the people who live there. The artefacts, photos, videos and diaries convey uncertainty, fear and sadness. At the same time, they also show togetherness, creativity and even the humour that went hand-in-hand with this experience.

Photo collection by a Dutch documentary photographer

As well as the personal submissions and diaries of city residents, photos taken by documentary photographer Sandra Uittenbogaart are also on show at the exhibition. The collaboration between The Hague Municipal Archives and The Historical Museum of The Hague resulted in this photo series.

Another special feature is the "In times of corona" photo project by Johan Nieuwenhuize, which correlates photos by the artist with other recent corona-related photos. The series can also be viewed via the digital database of The Hague Municipal Archives.

Museum opening times

• Tuesday-Friday: 10am-5pm
• Saturday & Sunday: 12pm-5 pm
• Closed on Mondays

Get your tickets

Tickets are available on The Hague Historical Museum website. A standard adult ticket costs 12 euros. The online version can be viewed for free.