terms & conditions

Introduction

© Paleis Het Loo National Museum, hereinafter referred to as Paleis Het Loo, shall do everything that is reasonably possible to make sure that a visit to the museum complex and the exhibitions and activities organised by Paleis Het Loo fully meets the expectations of the visitor. Paleis Het Loo shall do everything within its power to restrict to a minimum any nuisance or inconvenience to the visitor, and shall also ensure as far as possible the safety of the visitor.

General provisions: definitions

Article 1.1

Paleis Het Loo means the organisation that manages and runs the museum complex, including but not limited to the management, curators, security staff and other museum officials who are authorised to act in the name of this organisation.

Article 1.2

‘Museum complex’ means the sum of all areas (whether built-up or not) that fall under the legal or managerial authority of the management of Paleis Het Loo, including but not restricted to palace rooms, meeting rooms, offices, restaurants, gardens, other outside areas, depositories and out-buildings.

Article 1.3

Visitor means anyone who in any way, whether directly or indirectly, concludes an agreement with Paleis Het Loo with the aim of entering the museum complex and/or visiting an exhibition or participating in an activity that is organised by Paleis Het Loo for standard visitors during the normal opening times.

Article 1.4

Officials means anyone who wears the Service & Security uniform of Paleis Het Loo and anyone bearing the Paleis Het Loo staff pass stating that person’s name.

Article 1.5

These General Terms and Conditions for visitors are applicable to every agreement between Paleis Het Loo and a visitor. The conditions are not applicable to special activities outside the normal opening times and/or intended for people other than the ordinary visitor, such as is the case for accommodation rental, catering and the like.

Ticket sales, special offers & prices

Article 2.1

All price quotations, notifications and information provided in whatever other way by Paleis Het Loo are at all times non-binding. Paleis Het Loo accepts responsibility for any errors it may make itself in any price quotation, notification or information provided in any way to the visitor. This accountability only applies to the information material that is present within the museum at the moment of the claim, or that has been distributed recently by or on behalf of Paleis Het Loo. Paleis Het Loo is not liable for mistakes that are attributable to intent, culpability or negligence of third parties.

Article 2.2

The visitor must at all times present on demand the admission ticket and any card or voucher that entitles the visitor to a discount on the admission fee. Once a visitor has left the museum, he or she will not be re-admitted on the same admission ticket.

Article 2.3

The potential visitor is not entitled to a refund of the admittance fee or any payment whatsoever if the admission ticket is lost or stolen before the visitor enters the museum. Once an admission ticket has been issued, it may not be exchanged. Nor shall there be any refund of the admission fee. The admission fee paid can be refunded if circumstances arise outside the influence of the purchaser that makes a visit to the museum impossible; the management, however, shall make a decision in such an event.

Article 2.4

Paleis Het Loo shall only refund any admission fee actually paid by the visitor if the visitor must leave the museum prematurely because of an unannounced exercise in the context of company emergency response (article 23 of the Working Conditions Act), and also in the event of a real calamity that requires the museum complex to be partly or completely vacated.

Article 2.5

The ticket offices close 45 minutes before the closing time of the museum; from that moment on, no visitors will be allowed admission to the museum.

Article 2.6

The potential visitor shall be denied admission to the museum if it transpires that:

• the admittance ticket, the discount card or the voucher has not been acquired via Paleis Het Loo or another party authorised by Paleis Het Loo;
• the visitor is evidently under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any similar substance;
• the visitor evidently causes a disruption or
  • has the intention to cause such a disruption;
• the visitor evidently refuses to conform to the directives, instructions, house rules or norms of conduct stipulated by Paleis Het Loo;
• the visitor wishes to enter the museum with bare feet and/or a bared torso;

the visitor is in possession of legally prohibited or hazardous goods, materials or objects, such as fireworks, glasses, cans, banners with, in the opinion of the security staff of Paleis Het Loo, discriminating or provocative texts, chains, firearms, striking, stabbing or stunning weapons or any other object that could be used as a weapon for causing disruption or could endanger the safety of visitors, staff, buildings or collections.

Stay in the museum complex

Article 3.1

During the stay in the museum complex, the visitor should conduct himself in accordance with valid rules on the public order, public morality and the norms of decency related to the nature of the activity being visited. The visitor shall also undertake to follow immediately all directions and instructions that are given by obvious officials. If, according to the reasonable judgement of an authorised official, who is immediately recognisable as such, the visitor acts in any way contrary to these norms, directions or instructions, that visitor may be denied further access to the museum complex, without that visitor being entitled to any compensation for the costs of the admission ticket or any other costs that may be incurred. In the latter case, a visitor who is already present inside the building can be ejected from the museum by an official and/or handed over to the police. All this has the immediate and irreversible consequence that the admission ticket of the person involved loses its validity.

Article 3.2

Parents or supervisors of children are at all times responsible and accountable for the behaviour of the children they have with them. Teachers and supervisors of groups are responsible and accountable for the behaviour of the group members under their supervision.

Article 3.3

In the museum complex, the visitor is forbidden to:

1. 1. offer for sale to third parties, goods of any nature or to deliver them without charge;
   2. to block intentionally and persistently the way for other visitors and/or to restrict the view of the objects on exhibition and/or to sit on the ground;
   3. make use of sound sources, such as mobile telephones and mp3 players; staff can indicate if the use of sound sources is found annoying;
   4. bring pets or animals, unless these are specifically permitted in certain areas or when they are guide-dogs for the blind or SoHo dogs and these accompany a visitor with an identification pass;
   5. smoke;
   6. take food and drinks into the museum building;
   7. take hazardous objects or substances (according to the judgement of an official recognisable as such), including, but not limited to walking sticks with sharp points, umbrellas or large bags; these can be handed in at a place indicated by Paleis Het Loo;
   8. make use of private vehicles, with the exception of wheelchairs, prams, buggies, walking frames and other generally accepted aids
   9. touch the exhibited objects and exhibition material such as glass cases, lighting, panels and such, unless it is emphatically and explicitly permitted. Parents or supervisors of children must strictly ensure that the objects on exhibition are not touched by the children they have with them; similarly, teachers and supervisors of groups must ensure that the members of the groups under their supervision do not touch the objects on exhibition. Small children may not be carried on the shoulders but should be held by hand or transported by buggy
   10. take in drinks/liquids in glass/cans or in any other packaging
   11. give tours in the museum;
   12. operate unmanned aircraft, or to have these fly above the museum complex;
   13. use selfie sticks.

Article 3.4

If a visitor, during one or more previous visits to a Dutch museum complex, has intentionally damaged an object, or if any concern is justified in whatever way, the museum can deny that visitor access to the museum complex, either permanently or for a specific period. The decision on denying admission must be immediately announced to the visitor, with well-founded arguments, preferably in writing; this shall be undertaken by the management.

Article 3.5

A video surveillance system is in operation in Paleis Het Loo. Visitors agree that video recordings can be made of them. The potential visitors shall be informed that this measure is in force prior to entering the museum complex.

Article 3.6

Photographs, video and film recordings may be made in and around the palace, except with the use of a drone, and on condition that they are intended for personal purposes. The use of flash, tripod or self stick is forbidden in the palace and in the exhibition areas. It is not permitted to market film or sound material (to use it for commercial purposes) without written permission from the management. Exceptions, e.g. during exhibitions (whether it is prohibited or not), shall be indicated at the location concerned.