Campus

​What’s hiding in Delft?

Your map to hidden treasures across the city
Trésor, TU Delft Library.

Trésor houses a special collection of technical literature – historical books, journals, maps, photographs and prints from before 1900.

They have 50,000 volumes on scientific and technological developments in the Netherlands

Winkeltje van Kouwenhoven, Sint Agathaplein

Around since 1867 (and 1985 at the current location), it’s a museum-cum-shop, with original linseed oil and turpentine tanks displayed alongside old photos, pharmacy items, oil lamp parts, advertisements and genuine boxes and tins from the era.

Free Bell Test, Faculty of Applied Sciences

In 2015 a team at TU Delft proved Einstein’s theory on locality to be wrong. An art installation explaining the theory is called ‘Between Science and Fiction’ and can be found in the basement stairwell at the Faculty of Applied Sciences on Lorentzweg.

Prototype of Maison d’Artiste, Mekelweg

The structure is a prototype of Maison d’Artiste, a cubist house designed in 1923 by artist Theo van Doesburg and urban planner and architect Cor van Eesteren. The house was never constructed.

Tobacco History Museum, Van Bossestraat

There are 20,000 objects and 1,200 books on tobacco from pipes, spittoons, tools and snuff boxes to packaging, ads and literature. One pipe dates back to 1590 and another is a white stone pipe embellished with gold leaf.

Anechoic chamber, Faculty of Applied Sciences

One of the quietest rooms in the country, it is also known as the Dead Room. The echo-free room was designed to absorb as much sound as possible, primarily for acoustic measurement purposes and other experiments involving direct sound.

The Studieverzameling, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Sciences (EEMCS)

The Studieverzameling is a collection of electrical engineering objects. From radios, typewriters and telephones to books, navigation equipment and computers from 1947 onwards.

The Chair Collection, Faculty of Architecture

The extensive collection includes six original Gerrit Rietveld chairs. There are also designs by French architect Jean Prouvé, and Dutch industrial designer Friso Kramer.

Historical paintings, Oude Delft

A few years ago homeowners in Delft discovered paintings dating back to 1610-1620 while renovating. Parts of the house date back to 1544, when it was a brewery.

Botanical Gardens, Poortlandplein

Started in 1917, the compound includes a tree garden, greenhouse complex, herb garden, and a central garden with a collection of ornamental plants. There are around 8,000 plants, and 3,000 of those are under glass.

Material Library, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering

A link between material suppliers and designers, the library includes plastics, textiles and wood. Samples from 200 companies were grouped under themes such as sustainable, smart and senses.

Madame de Berry, City Centre

A 27-seat theatre in the city, created by Berry Visser, hosts two to three shows per month. Interactive theatre, their show Aren’t we all lonely planets is an experience that includes a flight, snacks and dolls.

Beijerinck Museum, Department of Biotechnology

In the attic of the department lies an archive of papers and tools of the first three bioscience professors at TU Delft. There’s a small museum, with the desk and furniture from the original offices and a second room with climate-controlled archival storage.

The mineralogical and geological museum, Mijnbouwstraat

TU Delft has had a mineralogical and geological collection since 1864. In the early 1900’s it gained an international allure, and officially became a museum in 1912. The collection has grown to about 140,000 specimens, and filled three floors.

Key Sculpture of Queen Maxima, EEMCS

The basement houses the Studieverzameling, a study collection, and is also home to royalty. Well, a sculpture of Queen Maxima at least, made out of 5,253 keys.

Gevangenis Het Steen, Markt

Did you know that Delft has its own medieval prison tower complete with jail cell and torture instruments located right on the market square? People were imprisoned, interrogated and tortured in the 13th-century tower.

Voor de Kunst, Oude Delft

An old-fashioned telephone box now stands over a hatch to an old tunnel in the city. It’s also a gallery of sorts – a ceramic leg sculpture in Delft blue style is currently on display, part of a series called ‘Hot Legs’ by Jackie Sarluïs.

Editor Redactie

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