Tuesday September 15, 2026
Good morning, The Hague. Today: Prinsjesdag preparations reshape the city center, an architecture walk tours the Clingendael estate, and chamber music fills the hall at Diligentia.
The activities listed below are just a curated sample of what’s going on in The Hague this weekend. Check out our completely redesigned events calendar here.
At a glance
🌦️ Weather: Hi 21°C / 69°F (about the same as yesterday) · Lo 17°C / 63°F · 7% chance of rain · wind SW 18 km/h (10 knots)
🚲 Cycling: Mostly fine, a shower is possible.
🌙 Sun & moon: Sunrise 07:17 · Sunset 19:57 · Waxing Crescent · Moonrise 12:47 · Golden hour 19:27 to 19:57
🌊 Outdoors: Air quality fair (AQI 25) · grass pollen low
💶 Markets: AEX 1,098 (-0.0%) · S&P 500 7,620 (-0.5%) · €1 = $1.16 · $1 = €0.87
Road closures and schedule set for Prinsjesdag: King Willem-Alexander will travel by carriage to the Koninklijke Schouwburg to deliver the speech from the throne. Widespread street closures, parking bans, and public transit diversions will run through the afternoon.
Escort horses train on Scheveningen beach for Prinsjesdag: Horses of the Cavalry Honorary Escort rehearsed on the sand amid loud crowds ahead of Tuesday's procession. Local animal advocates have questioned whether the practice causes unnecessary stress.
Dutch designated survivor was never meant to travel: Ministers staying away from Prinsjesdag spent years travelling abroad during the royal address. Secret cabinet rules require the stand-in leader to stay close enough to take over.
Extreme rainfall threatens nearly 12,000 Hague homes: Climate modelling shows a once-in-a-century downpour would bring deep surface water to thousands of properties across the city. Certain neighbourhoods face far higher concentrations of risk.
The Hague artist hosts chocolate sculpting workshops: Sculptor Anat Ratzabi is offering classes where participants cast and finish edible art pieces. Sessions include a meal, drinks, and figures such as Dutch masters or royalty.
Geestbrug closes for eleven weeks of maintenance: The crossing between Rijswijk and Voorburg is closed to traffic until late November for major provincial works. A temporary footbridge is in place for pedestrians and cyclists.
Mauritshuis and Madrid museum exchange major masterpieces: The Mauritshuis and Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza will swap 25 artworks each this autumn. A companion book exploring the theme of love accompanies the collaborative exhibition.
Museum Voorlinden marks ten years in Wassenaar: The private museum has staged 65 exhibitions since opening on the estate a decade ago. Director Suzanne Swarts reflects on regular rebuilding work and persistent transport challenges.
Large jellyfish wash ashore at Kijkduin beach: Bright blue jellyfish appeared along the coast at Kijkduin on Sunday. The creatures are likely barrel jellyfish, which lack tentacles and cause no skin irritation.
Living lab showcases rooftop greening in Binckhorst: Campaigners and local officials want more of the city's unused roofs converted into water-absorbing gardens. The municipality is also adding green roofs to three of its own public buildings.
Free Prinsjesdag celebrations at Zuiderparktheater: Families gather in the open-air theatre for a free afternoon of outdoor entertainment and activities. 15 September. 📅 FESTIVAL / FAIR
Children's scavenger hunt across Panorama Mesdag: Kids solve twelve clues on the viewing platform while exploring the historic panoramic painting. 15 September, Museum Panorama Mesdag. 📅 MUSEUM / EDUCATIONAL
Prinsjesfestival and Prinsjesdag for families: Het bericht Prinsjesfestival en Prinsjesdag met kids - 20260915 verscheen eerst op Kidsproof Den Haag . 15 September. 📅 FESTIVAL / FAIR
Noa Wildschut plays Saint-Saëns at the Prinsjesdagconcert: Violinist Noa Wildschut and the resident orchestra open their classical season alongside suites from Carmen. 15 September, Amare. 📅 CLASSICAL
Late-evening September Jazz Sessions at Wijnbar September: Conservatory talents and seasoned players run sets over wine before opening the floor to everyone. 15 September, wijnbar September. 📅 JAZZ / BLUES
Golden oldies live on stage at Amare: A three-piece band plays classic sixties and seventies dance hits for an afternoon gathering geared towards older adults. 15 September, 14:30, Amare, Kunstenplein. 📅 POP / ROCK
Step inside the royal waiting room at Hollands Spoor: Guided half-hour walks in Dutch show off the historic nineteenth-century salon normally locked to rail commuters. 15 September, Koninklijke wachtkamer op Station Hollands Spoor. 📅 ART / MUSEUMS
Behind-the-scenes look at the Troonrede chamber: Walk right past the throne hours after the king delivers his annual parliamentary address. 15 September, Het Nationale Theater - Koninklijke Schouwburg. 📅 TALKS / IDEAS
Prinsjesdagbeklimmingen of the historic Haagse Toren: Climb 288 steps past the carillon bells for wide views across the city to Scheveningen. 15 September, De Haagse Toren. 📅 SPORTS
German author Annett Groschner presents her latest novel: A ninety-minute literary evening where the author reads selections from Schwebende Lasten as part of Literarischer Sommer. 15 September, 19:30 - 21:00, Literaturhaus | Deutsche Bibliothek Den Haag. 📅 TALKS / IDEAS
Short films and panel on ancient hydrotechnologies: Winning shorts document traditional desert water management across Africa and Asia, followed by researcher and filmmaker discussion. 15 September, 16:45, International Institute of Social Studies, Aula A. 📅 FILM
Central American Independence Day with cumbia and pupusas: Start with a Cumbia Machine dance lesson, then share handmade pupusas served alongside curtido and salsa. 15 September, 19:00 - 22:00, Latin Soul Dance. 📅 SOCIAL / DRINKS
Build an electronic press kit using Canva templates: Bring a laptop to follow along as Noah Smits breaks down practical ways musicians can assemble professional promotional materials. 15 September, 19:30 - 22:00, Musicon. 📅 WORKSHOP
Two hours of casual tabletop games in Rijswijk: Players gather over an open selection of tabletop titles for two hours of friendly, low-stakes evening competition. 15 September, 19:00 - 21:00, Verrijn Stuartlaan 2, Rijswijk. 📅 GAMES / HOBBIES
Shared story reading with De Samenleesclub: Adults sit together over excerpts from novels, short stories and poetry, with no prior reading or signup required. 15 September, 10:30, Bibliotheek Segbroek. 📅 GAMES / HOBBIES
Breathwork theory and practical relaxation exercises with Indigo: A free two-hour session combining simple theory and guided exercises to build healthier everyday breathing habits. 15 September, 10:00 - 12:00, Bibliotheek Scheveningen. 📅 WORKSHOP
De Wandeluitdaging weekly guided group walk: An hour-long neighbourhood walk at an average pace, winding down with tea or coffee back in the library. 15 September, 11:00, Bibliotheek Segbroek. 📅 SPORTS
Drop-in digital government and language support in Leidschenveen: Volunteers help with DigiD logins, smartphone settings, online banking and spoken Dutch, open to all. 15 September, 11:00, Bibliotheek Leidschenveen. 📅 CLASS
Drafting organisational messages with ethical AI support: Purpose-led teams draft a core message using a practical framework, experimenting with AI tools as thought partners. 15 September, 17:30 - 19:30, The Hague Humanity Hub. 📅 WORKSHOP / TRAINING
Requirements Kenniscentrum business analysis meetup: Shared dinner followed by two rounds of group discussions on business analysis topics chosen on the night. 15 September, 17:30 - 20:30, CAK. 📅 NETWORKING
The Living List workshop at Everybody Networks Here: Professionals gather for structured icebreakers, snacks, drinks and an interactive workshop run by Oscar de Grauw. 15 September, 19:00 - 21:30, Social Hub by - Mooi Jong. 📅 NETWORKING
Real Kafka Stories from ING, Rabobank and Axual: Data engineers talk through real producer tuning and event streaming pipelines over drinks and food. 15 September, 17:30, Axual B.V.. 📅 SEMINAR / TALK
Good to know
New on Dutch streaming: 90 Day Fiancé (HBO Max), Black Warrant (Prime Video), She's All That (Netflix), Special Ops: Lioness (SkyShowtime)
New on the big screen: Shaun het Schaap: Het Beest van de Boerderij opens Saturday at 3 cinemas, and Practical Magic 2 is now showing at 4 cinemas. Showtimes here.
Overheard on Reddit: A thread about parade horse training on the beach had locals sharing how to find the exercise near the pier rather than the Kurhaus, noting that smoke and bang grenades were not used this year.
Today's supermarket deals: Perla House Blends Classic coffee pods (2+1 free) from Albert Heijn, Beemster (2 for €4.00) from Jumbo.
Did you know? Every Prinsjesdag in The Hague, female members of parliament quietly compete to out-dress one another with the most extravagant hats at the ceremony.
124 years ago today: On September 15th, 1902, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague held its first-ever hearing, the Pious Fund case.
In tomorrow’s edition: Miljoenenontbijt takes place at Nieuwe Kerk, a discussion on speed pills opens at Centrale Bibliotheek, and Balfolk dancers gather at Amare.
Have a great Tuesday.
Running something in The Hague? Tell us about it and we will take a look.
Take a moment to listen for the royal rehearsals echoing through the seaside air this morning.
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