Teylers Museum

Teylers Museum is a science and art museum in Haarlem next to the Spaarne River, holding scientific instruments, fossils, minerals, drawings, paintings, and coins. The collections are arranged in several rooms within historic buildings that allow for an intimate exploration.

The merchant Pieter Teyler van der Hulst founded the institution in 1778, and it opened in 1784 as the first museum in the Netherlands. The building and original collection were shaped by Enlightenment ideals about sharing knowledge.

The Oval Room was designed in 1784 as a public art gallery and shows neoclassical style with mineral displays and scientific instruments on view. The space reflects the founders' wish to make art and science accessible to everyone.

The museum is open daily except Mondays and offers guided tours in several languages. A specialized library provides research materials, and the rooms connect directly so you can move easily from one section to another.

The museum displays the first discovered fossil of Archaeopteryx alongside works by Michelangelo and Rembrandt in its permanent collection. This rare fossil is one of the oldest known examples linking dinosaurs to birds.

Location: Haarlem

Inception: 1778

Founders: Pieter Teyler van der Hulst

Official opening: 1784

Address: Spaarne 16

Phone: +31235160960

Website: http://teylersmuseum.nl

GPS coordinates: 52.38056,4.64028

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:06