Frans Hals Museum

A must for art lovers. In Haarlem which is just outside Amsterdam and a very simple journey to make. Doable in a half day trip. I took a train from Amsterdam Central Station. The museum is about a 15 minute walk from Haarlem Train Station. (Check out the church and picturesque town on the way too). Set in wonderful environs this museum has a solid collection of Dutch Golden Age art. The star attraction is the room full of Frans Hals' group portraits which, IMHO, ranks highly on the list of the best sites for art in Western Europe. Certainly if 17th century art is your thing. Highly recommended! Staff are lovely too.

There is a very interesting museum worth visiting for any age visitors. You can take the audio guide and listen to the building’s story in addition to the Hals lifetime facts and of course histories of the paintings. For the young visitors (adults could be also surprised) it can be interesting to read Dutch proverbs and their meanings, to se the Doll’s house and some funny “delft’s like” dishes. Inner garden is the best place to have a quick rest after the exposition (NB: the door to the garden looks like be automatic but you have to press the button on your left).

Frans Hal Museum located in Haarlem, walk around 20 mins from Haarlem train station. Entry fee is 17.50 euro and it's free for Museumkaart holder. Included audio audio tour. ** This ticket including entry fee to another one at the market (600 meters away) , have to use in same day purchase but we didn't have enough time for both of them. No need to book in advance. Free locker to use, not too big one so better for not too big bag or small belongings. It's a small art museum , mostly from Frans Hal and those time that's relatively involved. Dutch golden age portraits. In the big hall has small corner that you can dress up to old time costume, fun to do. My favorite part is the doll house. It's so tiny but detailed and nicely present. Fun to look at those little miniature. Not too big museum, only one floor. Well organized route to walk, easy to follow and not miss anything. Museum building itself also has interesting history. In the middle of the museum is inner garden. Nice and relaxing to sit there. Also has museum gift shop to visit. Museum cafe is open from outside, welcome for non museum visitors.

The museum is Haarlem’s leading art museum, dedicated to the Dutch Golden Age portrait master Frans Hals while also bridging tradition and contemporary art. Founded in 1862, it is housed in the former St. Elisabeth Gasthuis, a historic almshouse. Its branch, De Hallen, located on the Grote Markt, focuses more on modern and contemporary exhibitions.

Had a great time in this musuem, glad I went, I highly recommended spending 2 hours here.

Had no idea this museum existed until we were walking by. Went in and were impressed with the collection and history of the building.

This museum features Harlem’s own Frans Hals, the € 17 admission is well worth it, included audio guide which is very well designed. All descriptions are in English and well explained. There many pictures from other artists as well as a very impressive doll house. The building itself was charming and quaint which was an oldman house located on a very charming alley. We, two adults and one twelve year old spent a good 4 hours there and thoroughly enjoyed it.

A good museum overall, but its main drawback is that there aren’t that many works by Frans Hals. Most of them are placed near the end of the exhibition, by which point you’re likely already a bit overwhelmed, and unfortunately, they’re not his most interesting pieces either. That said, the museum is well-organized and features many impressive paintings.

This was a really cool museum, i loved it here! I recommend going here if you like Frans Halses art!

I purchased a combo ticket together with the Teylers Museum for €17.50 I don't think that this museum is a must-see destination in and of itself, but it made a great addition to a day trip to Haarlem! Frans Hals wasn't initially on my radar, but I fell in love with some of his paintings during my visit to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. His lively brushwork and sense of humor definitely catch the eye! However, be warned that majority of this collection isn't actually Frans Hals: unlike the Van Gogh Museum, which is probably 80-90% Van Gogh, here there's one main room with about 12-15 of his major works, and the rest of the collection is from other Dutch contemporaries. Don't get me wrong, the rest of the museum is still entertaining. The galleries are beautiful, with a nice combination of sculpture, decorative arts, and paintings. And there are convenient lockers for storing your belongings while you browse! It's a cool experience to view some of Frans Hals' classic pieces in the town where he lived and worked. But since this is a smaller museum with a narrow focus, I wouldn't dedicate more than an hour or two to your visit.

The Frans Hals Art Museum is a Dutch Treat.In late November,I was in Haarlem,a city that features the awesome Groote Kerk,the largest Dutch Reformed Church in Holland.After exploring that house of worship,I segued over to the Frans Hals Art Museum. At the Frans Hals Art Museum,many of the outstanding paintings were done by painters associated with Haarlem such as;Frans Hals,Cornelis Van Haarlem,Hendrick Goltzius,Judith Leyster,Gerrit Berckheyde,and Johannes Versponck,among others. Personal favorites were Hendrick Goltzius'"Minerva"",Adriean Brouwer's""Country Folk Playing Cards In Tavern",Job Berckheyde's ""Interior of Groote Kerk"",Pieter Saendredam''s"Ïnterior of Church of Saint Anne'',Frans Hals''"Fisherboys"",Johannes Versponck's"Regentesses of Saint Elizabeth Hospital",Frans Hals'"Banquet of Officers of Civil Guard",Hendrick Cornelis Vroom's"View of Haarlem from Noorder Bulten Spaarne",Gerrit Berckheyde's""Great Market in Haarlem With Groote Kerk",and Gustave de Smet's Twentieth Century Painting,""Evening on Lake"". So enjoy this genuine Dutch Treat which is open from 11AM to 5PM from Tuesday until Sunday.

What a cool museum. We decided just to pass by and have a quick look but in the end spent 2 hours just walking slowly through the rooms. Start with audiovisual presentation at the beginning of your visit. It will help you to pay attention to some small details, elements. Museum is filled with beautiful paintings, ceramics, silver and some clocks. There is also a very beautiful doll house that you can closely admire from the small stairs. Just take your time..stroll through the museum and find the paintings, elements that awaken any feelings or emotions in you.

This was a must visit spot for this trip to the Netherlands. It was an excellent choice. I've always liked Frans Hall and finally visiting here was fantastic. Wall coverings made from leather with prints were very impressive. Not to mention all the paintings, clocks, porcelain and furniture. Truly an impressive collection of Master Pieces. It's a delightful, short walk from the train station. And when your done there is shopping and food up and down each street you pass.

Excellent mid-sized museum in the actual almshouse where Hals lived out his last years. Unfortunately during our visit, its two most famous paintings - The Regents of the Old Men's Home and The Regentesses of the Old Men's Home - were off display for restoration but there were plenty of other treasures, not only by Hals (including his massive civic paintings) but by the Ruysdaels, Van Honthorst, and other old masters. The little apothecary reconstruction is charming as is the courtyard garden. It only takes 15 minute to get to Haarlem by train from Amsterdam and this is about 1.5 km from the station. Hals was one of the most masterful portrait painters that ever lived. He is amazing in how he captures human expression.

Much more than Frans Hals here! Despite the name, there's lots of 16th- and 17th-century works by different artists. All housed in a lovely space, an easy walk from the station, and only 15 minutes from Amsterdam. If you care about Golden Age art at all, you already know that Hals was a genius, creating portraits so vital they seem ready to start a conversation. His brushwork is bold and free, a beacon for the future Impressionists. (Van Gogh said that Hals seemed to have access to 27 different shades of black. Not an exaggeration!) This museum highlights his group portraits of Civic Guard companies, which reveals so much about the Dutch temperament of that period. The large room that showcases many of these works actually has a banquet table set up in the middle, as if the guards had just stepped away from their celebration. I really admired this idea, which is both historically accurate and emotionally engaging for viewers. The museum itself is attractive and welcoming. I enjoyed comparing Hals's works with those of his contemporaries, including a piece by Judith Leyster, one of the few professional female painters of the time. Hals was apparently her teacher, and the influence is clear. Great to see them together again.

Frans Hals Museum is MUCH more than a priest fondling a nun, more than a "cute" museum, and so much more than Frans Hals! It is a world-class museum full of amazing examples of 16th and 17th century paintings, glassware, porcelain and other artifacts. It primarily represents the Golden Age of art and Haarlem was a hotspot - the proof is here. The location, building and cafe add a ridiculous amount of charm to the place, but the artwork featured here would stand on its own in any location. Visiting the Frans Hals Museum is my #1 recommendation to anyone planning a stay in Haarlem, and I suggest that you view the museum for a minimum of 1 hour. Cross the street to then see the Historical Museum (which will take about 15 minutes), and then go see St. Bavo Kerk in centrum, where Frans Hals himself is buried. After you've taken in these three sites, you've seen the essence of what Haarlem was in it's grandest times.

this is a cute little museum in a cute little town. the works are beautiful and they have a different sensibility/sense of humor. come to see one of my favorite paintings - a priest milking wine out of a nun's breast; it might become one of your favorites too.

Summary based on 1 visit: --great, medium sized museum focusing on Frans Hals --worth a visit (45 minutes by train; 1 mile, 20 minute walk from station) to Haarlem if you're staying in Amsterdam and tired of the big, sprawling city --very nice setting --free if under 18

For me the Frans Hals museum was the Mama Bear of art museums, in the 'just right' sense. ,Absolutely start your visit with the audio visual presentation. In fact, listen to it twice while you rest your feet. The A-V gives you an excellent overview, not just of the museum, but of Hals, and the Dutch Masters in general. I would have enjoyed seeing more of Hals' work, but the A-V presentation prepared me for the fact that his art is all over the world, and not just here in this museum. Oh, the Mama Bear reference? Where the Louvre was utterly overwhelming, the Hals museum was intimate enough that once through made you feel like you had a decent sense of it's contents. I'd happily go again if I were in Haarlem. We were staying just around the corner from the museum, and the neighborhood was just far enough the beaten track to have it's own unique charm.

Staying in Haarlem for a few days, I wanted to check out this museum I saw a few blocks away from where we were at. If anything I remember from this museum, it was the painting of a priest copping a feel on a woman (possibly a nun). Say what you will, but c'mon... that would be normal in European standards of arts, but back in the US, you'd get a chuckle or two from someone seeing such a thing. The ambiance is peaceful here...nice thing to do for an hour while in Haarlem because seriously, how many times can you light up a joint? Go be artsy in the city

Since I live around the corner I have been here a couple of times. Although relatively small, the collection is outstanding. The temporary collections make it worth coming back as well. The street in which the museum lies is an added bonus!