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Koninklijke Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen

Science academy

The Koninklijke Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen (Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities), located on the east side of the Spaarne in downtown Haarlem, Netherlands, was established in 1752 and is the oldest society for the sciences in the country. The society has been housed in its present location, called Hodshon Huis, since 1841. Nearby the society is the Teylers Museum, a closely related museum of natural history founded in 1784.2 It was founded by Arent de Raet.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

May 21, 1752Founded1
  • HeadquartersHaarlem, Netherlands1
  • Founded inHaarlem1
  • Websitewww.khmw.nl
  • Legal formvereniging met volledige rechtsbevoegdheid1
  • Kind of organizationAssociation1
  • LEI7245003X9TMA4EWCQN343
  • StatusActive3
  • LEI statusIssued and current3
  • Registered addressSpaarne 17, 2011CD Haarlem, Netherlands3
  • Registered withThe Netherlands Chamber of Commerce, 405943753

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Hodshon huis - Spaarne - Mij van Wetenschappen
Photo: Jane023 ( talk ) 14:06, 6 September 2010 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0 nl, via Wikimedia Commons5

The Koninklijke Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen (Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities), located on the east side of the Spaarne in downtown Haarlem, Netherlands, was established in 1752 and is the oldest society for the sciences in the country. The society has been housed in its present location, called Hodshon Huis, since 1841. Nearby the society is the Teylers Museum, a closely related museum of natural history founded in 1784. In 2002, the society was awarded the predicate "Royal" when it celebrated 250 years of science studies.2

The story

Founded by Arent de Raet on May 21, 1752, in Haarlem.1

The society started as a gentleman's club that met in the Haarlem City Hall to discuss science topics and promote the study of the arts and sciences. They pooled resources to purchase books and specimens for study, which were kept in the town hall until they purchased a building on the Grote Houtstraat (nr. 51, since unrecognizably rebuilt), where the curator of the collection lived. Under the direction of Martin van Marum, a proper museum was established with zoological specimens located there on display for the public, as a forerunner of the modern Naturalis in Leiden. Van Marum also kept a small garden for public viewing in the summer months, filled with special plants, located in the Bakkerstraat. The museum fell out of favor after Van Marum's death, and it was dissolved in 1866.

From Wikipedia’s article on Koninklijke Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

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Timeline

  1. May 21, 1752Founded Founded in Haarlem1

Sources

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