THE HAGUE.- Getting to know Rembrandt playfully, that is Hello Rembrandt!, a presentation that starts on 20 July at the Mauritshuis in The Hague. Many Dutch museums are offering exhibitions for the national commemoration of Rembrandt’s death 350 years ago; but this show specifically for children is a first. Admission is free for everyone up to 18 years old.

Practice makes perfect
Hello Rembrandt! is an exhibition full of activities for adults with children aged 3-11. Visitors will be able to learn all about Rembrandt together. Who was Rembrandt and why is he still such a renowned artist? Did Rembrandt have siblings, what was paint made of in the seventeenth century?

Hello Rembrandt! is appropriate for kids of all ages. Preschoolers play with Rembrandt, just as Rembrandt himself played with light, composition and paint in his paintings. Rembrandt often used himself as a model and even used elements of disguise. Children will be able to dress up with a beautiful white collar, a painter's palette or with Rembrandt’s trademark beret. There are puzzles and games with light and shadow especially for toddlers. The mascot of the Mauritshuis, Maurits Mouse, also plays a role in the exhibition with a picture book about Rembrandt and his own mouse-sized painter's studio.

Rembrandt was an innovator: his compositions, painting technique and use of light were highly innovative in his own time. For older children, from 7-11 years, the focus is on themes such as looking at, comparing and making paintings. They will learn about Rembrandt's painting technique by touching 3-D prints of paintings and can look for the unique light in Rembrandt's paintings in a special photo booth. A timeline also gives visitors an insight into Rembrandt’s turbulent life, with fascinating titbits for young and old.

Do It Yourself
At the Art Workshop, visitors experiment with paint themselves and, like one of Rembrandt’s pupils. From the exhibition, families move on into the Art Workshop, where they can participate in various workshops, all day long, free of charge. An expert museum teacher provides guidance.

Rembrandt and the Mauritshuis: the real works of art
No original artworks are included in Hello Rembrandt! But there is an opportunity after the workshops for visitors to take a puzzle into the exhibition Rembrandt and the Mauritshuis, where they will see Rembrandt's world-famous paintings in real life. This exhibition is located in two rooms of the historic building of the museum, where the permanent collection is also on display.