Museum Prinsenhof

A former medieval monastery that served as the residence of William of Orange during the Dutch Revolt, and the place where he was assassinated in 1584. The building is now Delft's main museum, combining the story of William's life and death with exhibitions on Delft's Golden Age — Vermeer, Delftware pottery, and the city's role in the Dutch East India Company.

The assassination spot in the stairwell, with the original bullet marks preserved in the plaster, is the most visited point in the museum. But the rest of the collection is strong: the courtyard is peaceful, the Golden Age paintings are excellent, and the Delftware collection provides context for the blue-and-white pottery you see in every shop in town. On Sint Agathaplein, a few minutes' walk from the Markt.

things to do museum
A story
On 10 July 1584, Balthasar Gérard shot William of Orange in the stairwell of this building — the first assassination of a head of state with a handgun. The bullet holes are still visible in the wall, preserved behind glass. William's last words, according to tradition, were "Mon Dieu, ayez pitié de moi et de ce pauvre peuple" — My God, have pity on me and on this poor people.