Library

The library encompasses the books of the House of Orange, the library of Louis Bonaparte and the music library. The library was begun in 1813, following the return of the Oranges to the Netherlands. King Willem I allowed the stadholder’s library to remain part of the Royal Library in The Hague.

The library houses a collection of some 70,000 books, journals and brochures. The music library has 6,000 scores, going back to the mid-1700s. The catalogue is integrated into the central catalogue of the Royal Library in The Hague.

The backbone of the library’s collection is formed by works collected by the members of the Royal House and books presented to them as gifts. The collection includes a great many specially bound volumes, some of them bearing autograph dedications. The library also purchases material, primarily in the fields of history and art history.