National Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden)

The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, the National Museum of Antiquities, is the national archaeological museum of the Netherlands, and it stands on the Rapenburg, one of the loveliest canals in Leiden. It was founded in 1818 and grew out of collections that went back to the university, which had a tradition of collecting antiquities since the sixteenth century. Over two centuries it has built up a very large and varied collection, ranging from Egypt and the ancient Near East to Greece and Rome, along with the archaeology of the Netherlands itself.

The Egyptian collection is the most famous part. It includes mummies and coffins, statues, jewellery, papyri and everyday objects that give a vivid picture of life along the Nile, and it is considered one of the best in Europe. A remarkable feature is the Temple of Taffeh, a small temple from Nubia that was given to the Netherlands by Egypt in the 1960s as thanks for help in saving monuments threatened by the Aswan dam. It is a freestanding building in the museum's great hall, and visitors can walk inside it, which is an extraordinary experience in a northern European museum.

The classical collections cover Greece, Etruria and Rome, with vases, sculptures, bronzes, glass and jewellery, and the Near Eastern section includes objects from Mesopotamia and the surrounding regions. The Dutch part of the museum, devoted to the archaeology of the Low Countries, follows human presence from the earliest hunters and farmers through the Roman period, when the Rhine was the northern frontier of the empire, to the early Middle Ages. Finds from the Roman forts and settlements, tools, weapons and jewellery illustrate how people lived on the frontier, and prehistoric finds include objects from the burial mounds and bogs of the north.

Displays combine objects with clear explanations, models and reconstructions, and the museum has activities for children as well as audio guides. Temporary exhibitions explore themes in depth, often on Egyptian or classical subjects, and draw large audiences. A cafe and shop offer a place to rest.

Leiden is a pleasant city to explore on foot, with canals, historic university buildings, the botanical garden and several other museums, including Naturalis and Museum Boerhaave, within a short distance. The museum suits history lovers, families and school groups. Allow two to three hours. Check opening times and ticket information, and book ahead for busy periods. The railway station is a short walk away.