Rijksmuseum van Oudheden.

Located on Leiden’s historic Rapenburg canal, the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden is the Netherlands’ national museum of archaeology. Its defining centerpiece greets you right at the entrance: the 2,000-year-old Temple of Taffeh, a real Egyptian temple gifted to the country for its help in a UNESCO rescue mission. Beyond this striking gateway lies one of the world's top ten Egyptian collections, alongside rooms dedicated to the Classical World and the ancient Near East. What sets this institution apart from its European peers is its comprehensive overview of Dutch archaeological history, allowing you to trace local history from prehistoric burial treasures to Roman-era finds. Originally founded in 1818 as a university cabinet, it remains a deeply informative, research-driven space.