How a church became Transvaal’s living room

A century of Transvaal is written not only in street names but in the changing use of one building. The Julianakerk was built in 1926 for a new neighbourhood; generations gathered there for faith, music, youth activities and support during difficult periods. Today it is Julianaplaza, still centred on encounter and social participation. Atrium Den Haag arranges archive material, contemporary photography, resident quotations and short texts as a visual timeline, showing that “church to community living room” is not a label change but a continuing reorganisation of migration, solidarity and shared life. The exhibition is free through 4 August, with Thursday opening to 21:30 and Saturday 09:30–17:00. It suits visitors curious about Den Haag neighbourhood and migration history. Add 30–45 minutes when already visiting the city centre.

• The Julianakerk was built in 1926 while Transvaal was developing as a new neighbourhood.
• Black-and-white archive images sit beside warm present-day resident photographs, allowing direct comparison across generations.
• Themes include community, migration, connection, solidarity and coexistence, so the building story is not only a religious chronology.
• Atrium opens from 07:00 on weekdays, later Thursday and shorter Saturday; Sunday is not listed, so check the day.

Hokimi field note: Pair the timeline with a Transvaal walk; seeing the archive first and locating today’s building afterward adds a layer the Atrium alone cannot provide.