Opening beach season 2024: Ode to Scheveningen

Ode to Scheveningen. (Photo: The Hague & Partners)

The Hague - Scheveningen is looking forward to a new beach season. A season brimming with sport, culture, tradition and, hopefully, lots of sunshine. The place where locals, surfers and bathers meet and enjoy the beach, the sea and a night out.

Exhibition Ode to the Netherlands

This spring, visitors can discover for themselves the rich culture of the Hague coast in various places. For instance, Muzee Scheveningen now has a special photo exhibition by artist Jimmy Nelson. The exhibition Ode to the Netherlands (until 30 June) includes some 20 breathtaking photographs of Dutch communities in traditional costume, including the Scheveningen costume.

Exhibition Hague School in a different light

The Kunstmuseum Den Haag also currently has an exhibition with a Scheveningen touch. The Hague School in a different light (until 25 August) shows works by the art movement the ‘Hague School’ from the time of bomb barges, fishermen and the first railway lines. The realistic paintings, with several grand Scheveningen skies and reflections of light on the sea, also confront works from other periods.

Restoration Panorama Mesdag

On Zeestraat in the centre of The Hague, you can also imagine yourself in the old Scheveningen by visiting Museum Panorama Mesdag. Hendrik Willem Mesdag's famous panorama, from 1881, is the oldest surviving panoramic painting in the world. The panoramic painting, 120 metres in circumference, is cleaned and restored once every six to seven years. Such is the case this year. The process can be followed live for three months, from May until the end of July.

A Night Out Scheveningen

Scheveningen's Night Out agenda is once again bursting with variety this season: musicals, cabaret, jazz and blues, Latin and salsa, stand-up comedy, live entertainment, beach parties, festivals and film screenings. High on the agenda this year include Festival Classique (13-15 June), Hipfest in Keizerstraat (21 June), Vlaggetjesdag and Haringfest (22 June), theatre festival De Parade (5-21 July) and music festival Live on The Beach (29 August -1 September). There is plenty to discover again.

The Hague sports summer 2024

In 2024, Scheveningen will also make every sports fan's heart beat faster. This year, The Hague coast will once again be the stage for first-class sports events such as the European Beach Volleyball Championship (13 to 18 August) and the hosting of the first stage of the Tour de Femmes (12 August).

Renovation

Special exhibitions such as Ode to the Netherlands, The Hague School in a different light and the Panorama Mesdag take visitors through Scheveningen's cultural history. On the boulevard, this history is actually used as inspiration for the future. Until the summer of 2025, the boulevard between De Pier and museum Beelden aan Zee will be renovated. The renovation will make the boulevard much wider and greener. In front of the Kurhaus, a central square will be created with special lighting inspired by old lighting at this location. A 30-metre wide staircase (on the site of the former Wilhelmina Mall) will connect the boulevard directly to the beach. The beach pavilions will be repositioned after the renovation.

Photo caption

Traditional Scheveningen and its surf culture were beautifully captured by photographer Gerrit Schreurs in his photo Ode to Scheveningen. The surfer - dressed in a specially designed wetsuit by top Hague designer Michelangelo Winklaar - meets a woman in traditional Scheveningen costume. ‘Normally I create couture pieces for special occasions. This is the first time I have immersed myself in Scheveningen's surf culture. To reflect the sea and dunes, I chose flowing lines,' Michelangelo said. Moreover, The Hague-based designer drew inspiration from the colours of the sea (turquoise), the sand (terracotta), the sky/clouds (achromatic white) and, of course, the traditional Scheveningen costume.

For the most up-to-date agenda, follow: denhaag.com/agenda. For more information: denhaag.com/aanzee or listen to the podcast Den Haag Onthult, episode stad aan zee for more special stories and special places on The Hague coast.