Princessehof Ceramics Museum (in Dutch: Keramiekmuseum Princessehof) is a city museum of ceramics in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. The museum's name comes from one of two buildings in which it is housed: a small palace built in 1693 and later occupied by Marie Louise, dowager Princess of Orange. The other annexed building is the Papinga stins, a former stronghold from the 15th century. The museum is of interest for its buildings, but also for its collection of tiles, pottery, and ceramic sculpture.
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In 1731, the building was purchased by Marie Louise (known in Leeuwarden as Marijke Meu, 'Aunt Mary'), who was already a widow at that time. She began a collection of ceramics, and her collection forms part of the museum's collection, most notably in the Nassaukamer, a period dining room in Baroque style. Later the building was split into three houses, and M.C. Escher was born in the middle house. The house later came into the hands of the Leeuwarden notary and art collectors Nanne Ottema (1874–1955) and his wife Grietje Kingma, who founded the museum during their lifetime in 1917.
The Ottema-Kingma Stichting keeps the tradition of the founders alive with an online database for the collection and associated library. This Stichting is also the formal owner of the Asian ceramics collection with items ranging from 2800 BC up to the 20th century.[1] Besides the Asian collection, there is also a wide range of European and some Islamic ceramics.
The museum has a café and often hosts visiting art exhibitions.