The Atrium is the meeting place in the City Hall for citizens of The Hague and visitors/tourists to The Hague. An average of 50 cultural, educational and social exhibitions and events are organized every year, as well as commercial activities. The Atrium City Hall Foundation has been producing and coordinating these various activities in the Atrium since the opening of the City Hall in 1995 on the instructions of the Municipality The Hague. The foundation does this on her own initiative, but external parties can also rent the space for any activity. Atrium City Hall thus provides a broad picture of what is happening in The Hague and far beyond. The Atrium City Hall attracts more than 4.000 visitors a day.
The Atrium is the central space in The Hague city hall. Due to its spectacular architecture and its location in the city centre various events, concerts, lectures and exhibitions are organised in the Atrium all year round, most of which you can visit free of charge. The Town Hall of The Hague also incorporates the public library. The building attracts approximately 8,000 visitors every day. Some come for the municipal services, the rest to see the architecture, events and exhibitions.
Architect Richard Meier
The city hall was designed by the American architect Richard Meier. Meier's rationalist designs are noted for their minimalist form, choice of materials and - an important element - prominent use of the colour white. For Meier white is the symbol of spatial clarity, purity and perfection. His white is never white since it is subject to constant change through the people in the building and the forces of nature. Natural light plays an important role in the city hall. Light streams in from all sides, but mainly through the glass roof of the Atrium, and is seemingly endlessly reflected by the monastic whiteness of the interior space.
Events and exhibitions
Foundation Atrium City Hall is responsible for the programming and the coordination of the exhibitions and events in the Atrium City Hall. Atrium City Hall can initiate its own activities, but external parties can also organise an event in the Atrium. Atrium City Hall aims to give visitors an impression of everything that's going on in The Hague. Due to the building's form and colour, many people in The Hague have taken to calling it the 'Ice Palace'.
Getting there
The Hague's city hall is situated in the city centre, directly in front of the tram stop for lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 17, and buses 22 and 24. Train stations The Hague CS and HS are only a 10-minute walk away. The city hall is also very well accessible by car. Right below the City Hall is Parking loth 'Stadhuis' with direct acces by stairs or elevator to the Atrium. Several other parking garages in the city centre are only a short walk away from the city hall. The closest ones are: Parking Spui, Turfmarkt, Muzenplein, Veerkaden, Pleingarage, Lutherse Burgwal, Grote Markt and Parking Wijkhaven Centrum.
Atrium City Hall - 25 Jaar Fundation Atrium Documentairy (EN)
A beautiful documentary that provides a nice overview of the many activities that the Foundation Atrium has organized since the opening of the City Hall in The Hague in 1995.
