A free reading campsite in a book-museum garden

“Camping” does not have to mean sleeping in a tent. Huis van het boek, the world’s oldest book museum, turns its Den Haag garden into a place to borrow books, paint strange stories and build ridiculous monsters. The free Leescamping continues through 30 August, Tuesday–Sunday from 11:00–17:00, with no registration; visitors without a book can borrow a picnic basket filled with “reading food.” Authors and storytellers take Wednesday, Thursday connects music theatre and stories, and Friday closes the week with campfire songs. Workshops generally run 12:00–16:00 and performances 14:00–15:00. It suits families seeking a low-cost outdoor day where children can settle into stories at their own pace. Choose the weekday by programme and bring sun or rain protection for the garden.

• The garden is closed Monday; Tuesday suits quiet reading, while the structured creative programme concentrates Wednesday–Friday.
• On 29 and 30 July, Kamalia Talhaoui reads Juf wat voor haar heb je? and Juf Selma op reis respectively.
• On 31 July, house musician Robbie leads campfire songs, shifting the week from quiet reading to shared singing.
• Free walk-in access can make performance windows busy; arrive before 14:00 if having a place to sit matters.

Hokimi field note: Wednesday or Thursday combines reading and performance for younger children; for quiet book time, avoid the crowd around 14:00.