Museum Gouda

Museum Gouda is housed in the former Catharina Gasthuis, the St. Catherine's Hospital, a building that has served the town for around six hundred years. A gasthuis was a medieval institution that took in the sick, the poor and travellers, usually run by religious or civic foundations, and this one grew into a complex of wards, a chapel and courtyards that kept their purpose until the twentieth century. The museum occupies these historic rooms, and the building itself is part of the exhibition. Its location in the centre of Gouda, a short walk from the market square and the Sint-Janskerk, makes it a natural stop for anyone visiting the town.

The collection brings together the history and art of Gouda and its region. It includes paintings from the Golden Age, among them group portraits of the civic militia, the schutterij, whose companies commissioned large paintings showing officers and members in their finest dress. Portraits of regents and notable citizens, and views of the town, add to the picture of a wealthy trading city in the seventeenth century. Decorative arts are also well represented, with silver, furniture, glass and ceramics, and the town's pottery industry gets particular attention. Gouda was long known for its clay pipes, made by the thousand, and for its pottery, and displays of both show how these crafts shaped the local economy.

The medieval character of the building is a special pleasure. The old hospital chapel and the wards give a feel for the way sick people were looked after, and the museum tells the story of the hospital with objects and illustrations. A scale model of the town helps to explain how Gouda grew, with its canals, locks and the great market square, and a visitor can see how the layout developed from a medieval settlement on the river.

The museum offers a cafe and a shop, and it is easy to reach on foot from the railway station. Opening days and times vary, with a closing day each week, and admission is charged, with reductions for children and students, so it is best to check current details. Museum cards often give free entry. Families can take part in activities, and the staff are used to explaining the collection to children.

The museum suits history lovers, art enthusiasts and families, and a visit takes one to two hours. Combine it with the town hall, the Waag and the stained-glass windows of the Sint-Janskerk for a full day in Gouda.