Essentially The Hague for Sunday 20 September: Kite festival returns, Mauritshuis restitutes art, Rijswijkseplein reopens

Sunday September 20, 2026

Good morning, The Hague. Today: the Scheveningen kite festival returns after two years, Mauritshuis restitutes a looted painting to the Goudstikker heirs, and Rijswijkseplein reopens early to traffic.

The activities listed below are just a curated sample of what’s going on in The Hague. Check out our completely redesigned events calendar here.

Scheveningen kite festival returns after two-year absence: The free event takes place on the beach by the Kurhaus on 26 and 27 September. Construction work along the boulevard had previously paused the festival.

Mauritshuis returns looted painting to Goudstikker heirs: The Hague museum will restitute a 1651 Jan van Goyen painting taken during the Nazi occupation. An official restitution committee confirmed the original owner lost the artwork involuntarily.

Artist uses AI to revive historic canals: Belgian artist Reinhard De Jonghe uses old postcards and artificial intelligence to recreate vanished streetscapes. His short videos show filled-in waterways returning across the city centre.

Kijkduin artwork Hemels Gewelf marks thirty years: The large-scale outdoor installation by James Turrell has reached its thirtieth anniversary in the dunes. Art centre Stroom is marking the milestone for the artificial crater.

Rijswijkseplein reopens nearly two weeks ahead of schedule: The busy junction will reopen completely to road and tram traffic this weekend. Several phases of construction were combined, cutting out the final stage of work.

Young team brings refined dining to Prinsestraat: Restaurant Galanthus serves ambitious tasting menus in a relaxed setting in the city centre. The kitchen team focuses on technical skill and playful flavour combinations.

Major road closures hit N211 and Wateringse Veld: Construction work will shut key routes between The Hague, Wateringen and the A4 highway. Drivers face diversions and changed traffic patterns continuing into October.

Over 700 applicants for Scheveningen rental flat: A small one-bedroom apartment received hundreds of inquiries within two days of going online. Real estate agents say the rush highlights the severe shortage across the local housing market.

Firefighters lose first responder role across Haaglanden: Veiligheidsregio Haaglanden has ended resuscitation callouts for fire stations in four municipalities, prompting deep frustration among local responders. Regional officials cite improved ambulance response times and mental strain on crews.

Carve and print linoleum blocks at the museum atelier: Children work with sharp gouges across sixty-minute slots to design and press their own small prints. 20 September, Escher in Het Paleis. 📅 KIDS WORKSHOP

BonteHond: physical toddler theatre in Wauw! at De Regentes: Wordless choreography, sound and visual play shaped around toddler perspectives, made for children aged two to six. 20 September, De Regentes. 📅 FAMILY SHOW

Theater Terra stages a solo adaptation of Peter Pan: A single actor plays every part in this forty-minute tale for children aged six and older. 20 September, Theater Ludens. 📅 FAMILY SHOW

Supervised craft making for kids at Open Kinderatelier: Children aged five and up experiment independently with clay, scrap materials or pencils under museum teacher supervision. 20 September, Kunstmuseum Den Haag. 📅 KIDS WORKSHOP

Performances and open craft stations at Familiezondag: Families with young children can drop in for dress-up, movement games, reading corners and live stage performances. 20 September, Amare. 📅 FESTIVAL / FAIR

Hands-on alphabet play in ABC met de dieren mee: Toddlers crawl and climb through animal book worlds, matching sounds and rhymes across the alphabet. 20 September, 10:30 - 17:00, Kinderboekenmuseum. 📅 KIDS WORKSHOP

Schumann, Mendelssohn and Mustonen at Klassiek achter de Duinen: Chamber ensembles tackle romantic quintets alongside contemporary Finnish strings, preceded by an introductory talk with the musicians. 20 September, Nieuwe Kerk. 📅 CLASSICAL

Double Bill: Sound and Vision at SoundHouse: Poetry, prepared piano, and laser projections cast through bubble clusters paired with live harp and electronics. 20 September, 20:00 - 22:00, SoundHouse Den Haag. 📅 ELECTRONIC / DANCE

Great American Songbook classics with Frits Landesbergen Big Band: Basie, Ellington, and Nestico charts played live by a full brass section, with room left clear for dancers. 20 September, Zeeheldentheater. 📅 JAZZ / BLUES

Rehearse and perform choral classics at Haagse Sing-along: Choir singers and novices practice Mozart, Carl Orff, and Abba together before staging a public afternoon concert. 20 September, Amare. 📅 CHOIR / VOCAL

Ndlovu Youth Choir brings South African pop and choral harmonies: South African vocal traditions blend with pop, jazz, and dance rhythms across an energetic, large-scale choral performance. 20 September, 15:00, Amare. 📅 CHOIR / VOCAL

Alphens Kozakkenkoor performs Slavic choral music in church: Conductor Arkadi Gankin accompanies on bajan as the male choir sings polyphonic a cappella pieces and Cossack folk songs. 20 September, Oud-katholieke schuilkerk van de H.H. Jacobus en Augustinus. 📅 CHOIR / VOCAL

Harp-led avant-garde jazz with Julie Campiche Quartet: Psychedelic staging frames a Swiss ensemble addressing global themes through modern jazz anchored by an acoustic harp. 20 September, 20:00, Amare, Conservatoriumzaal. 📅 JAZZ / BLUES

Step inside Carnegie Foundation for Just Peace Open Day 2026: Guided access through the historic building in English, hosted as part of the city's annual peace programme. 20 September, 11:00 - 17:00, Vredespaleis. 📅 TALKS / IDEAS

Go inside the chemical weapons watchdog during Just Peace Open Day: The international disarmament organisation welcomes the public for English-language tours as part of the citywide peace programme. 20 September, 11:00 - 17:00, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. 📅 TALKS / IDEAS

Inside Marcel Breuer's former American Embassy on a guided tour: Walk through the 1959 modernist auditorium and library with a West Den Haag architectural guide. 20 September, West Den Haag. 📅 TALKS / IDEAS

Just Peace Open Day at the International Esperanto-Institute: English-language access inside the institute headquarters, introducing visitors to the planned language movement and its history. 20 September, 11:00 - 14:00, International Esperanto-Institute. 📅 TALKS / IDEAS

Stand-up comedy walking tour from Spui to Plein: Comedian Maarten Vissers guides you through city streets, riffing on Dutch politics, royal gossip, and local history. 20 September, Spuiplein. 📅 COMEDY

Mussels, vintage vinyl, and street stalls along Piet Heinstraat: Local cafes cook mussels in different styles alongside craft beers, live DJ sets, and brocante market tables. 20 September, Het Zeeheldenkwartier. 📅 FOOD / MARKETS

Browse handmade goods at Den Haag Craft Market: Local makers and small food vendors set up stalls inside the museum with free entry for shoppers. 20 September, 10:00 - 17:00, Kunstmuseum The Hague. 📅 FOOD / MARKETS

Crafting and independent art projects at Open Atelier De Kust: Bring your current embroidery, drawing or crochet project for a quiet morning with tea and shared supplies. 20 September, De Kust Den Haag. 📅 ART / MUSEUMS

Angisa folding and fashion heritage in the gallery: Live demonstrations reveal how traditional headscarf folds communicate messages, surrounded by recent designs inside the fashion exhibition. 20 September, Kunstmuseum Den Haag. 📅 WORKSHOP

Bunker walk through Westbroekpark with Gilde Den Haag: Local historians lead small groups around hidden wartime concrete defences scattered near Westbroekpark and the Waterpartij. 20 September, Nationaal Monument Oranjehotel. 📅 TOUR

Zuiderstrand beach clean with harness sleds and grabbers: You clear coastline litter either on foot with buckets or pulling a weighted harness across the sand. 20 September, Strandpaviljoen At the Beach (Strandslag 8). 📅 SPORTS

Chinese Gongfu tea tasting and Li style calligraphy workshop: Sample freshly arrived teas over a Gongfu service, then learn to brush your name in ink to keep. 20 September, 15:00 - 17:00, Laan van Meerdervoort 140. 📅 TASTING

Day sailing on tall ship Eendracht from Scheveningen: Head into the North Sea, help hoist sails, take the wheel, and eat lunch and dinner aboard. 20 September, Scheveningen Haven. 📅 TOUR

Guided tower climb up De Haagse Toren: Trek up 288 steps through four historical attics alongside a guide to reach ninety-two metres high. 20 September, 13:00 - 15:00, Grote Kerk. 📅 TOUR

Morning yoga sessions inside the Kunstmuseum period rooms: Bring your own mat for gentle breathwork and movement surrounded by historic interiors. 20 September, Kunstmuseum Den Haag. 📅 SPORTS

Learn English stand-up comedy and stagecraft: Professional comedians guide you through joke structure, timing and microphone work, ending with a live performance. 20 September, O'Casey's Irish Pub & Restaurant. 📅 WORKSHOP

Practical workshop for changemakers during Vredesweek: A full-day interactive session helps turn community concepts into practical action through discussion, shared tools, and lunch. 20 September. 📅 WORKSHOP / TRAINING

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