Vermeer Centrum Delft — Local services in Delft

Audio guide (available in many languages: Spanish, English, Dutch, German, Italian, etc.) included in normal ticket price - which is a refreshing considering the crude capitalist nature of most attractions in Delft designed to extort as much money as possible from tourists for the most mundane things. The ‘museum”, which starts on the -1 floor (which was weird) and works its way up to the second floor, is interesting - even though it doesn’t qualify as a museum due to the absence of paintings (instead shown as prints), which it does not claim to have so it doesn’t detract anything from this place. Lots of interesting information about Vermeer and his paintings from which you learn that his main motif was that he believe in getting women drunk in order to make them fall in love with you. Highly Recommend to visit...

If you want to see Vermeer’s original works, this is NOT the place to visit. His works are at the Mauritshuis. This center has replicas of his existing works that can be viewed and, if you get the audio tour, you can get a few insights into the works. The center is child friendly and on my visit there were parents with children all enjoying the narrated your. The audio tour is available in Dutch, English, French, Spanish, German and Italian. There are mementos and books sold in the center. The exhibition takes up three floors. A very short film about him is on view and is in English and Dutch. It plays on a continuous loop.

I recommend the part about his membership in the St Luke’s guild. It is interactive and you can listen to the members...

I was lucky enough to turn up just when an English language tour was about to set off, and seeing as how it wasn't fully booked (in January, I think), I joined in. It was absolutely superb, with a friendly, patient and knowledgable guide who gave fascinating, recondite information that I don't think any of us knew before or would even have thought of asking about - e.g. the significance of the jugs that feature in so many Vermeer paintings. The tour took about an hour, and I don't think it cost anything once you'd paid the entrance fee to the Centrum. If you want to do a tour yourself, especially if you want to do one not in Dutch, ring up before and find out the days and times. It may be wise to book, especially if you're going in the...