Private Tour North Caves incl. Vault

The Noord (North) complex of caves form the backdrop for an underground museum. Holding onto a carbide lamp for light, you'll explore the dark corridors with an Underground guide, whilst admiring extraordinary writings, drawings, and paintings. The guide will entertain you with the exciting, often amusing, tales behind them.

You will also visit national storage location no. 9, better known as the Kluis, which is hidden in this network of tunnels. Built at the start of the Second World War, the purpose of this concrete bunker was to protect the Netherlands' most important art treasures from air attacks. About 800 artworks, including Rembrandt's Night Watch, Potter's The Young Bull, and Vermeer's Little Street, were stored here for three years.

In the underground marl corridors, the air is chilly and damp. An ingenious climate control system ensured these delicate canvasses remained undamaged. In addition to the vault, you'll also visit the keepers' room, and the room used by the Dutch military police, charged with guarding the vault and the entrance tunnel. You'll also take a look at the technical room where the vault's climate was controlled.

The guide will also entertain you with interesting anecdotes about the occupiers as well as the resistance. This is a short tour of a unique bit of heritage that offers a mixture of history, culture, and art.