Visiting the Oldest Dutch Master: The Frans Hals Museum
Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-galenson/visiting-the-oldest-dutch_b_998893.html
On the way back to the railroad station, I stopped to visit Hals' grave in St. Bavo's Cathedral, which towers over Haarlem's beautiful main square. Inside, near the altar, is a black stone in the floor, simply marked with Hals' name. The Dutch are not ostentatious, and there is no eulogy for the most important person who ever lived in Haarlem, who effectively gave immortality to the town's prosperous 17th-century burghers. In the process, he also gave us a powerful and lasting demonstration of creativity in old age.
Historic Haarlem an easy day trip from Amsterdam
Link: http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/4971683-423/historic-haarlem-an-easy-day-trip-from-amsterdam.html
Called “Bloemenstad” (Flower City), Haarlem feels like a low-key, miniature version of Holland’s capital, which is just a 15-minute train ride away.
Frans Hals in the Vancouver Courier
Link: http://www.vancourier.com/entertainment/Frans+Hals+happier+sunnier+Rembrandt/3746168/story.html
There are works by Hals in major museums around the world, but the largest collection (14 paintings) is in the Frans Hals Museum in the artist's hometown, Haarlem, a 15-minute train-ride from Amsterdam. It's worth the short trip as much to get a sense of how Holland was in its Golden Age as to see the paintings. Haarlem was an important city in the 1600s and the old town, which you walk through to reach the museum, is not much changed from those days.
Historische rondwandeling door het stadhuis
Ter gelegenheid van de Open Monumenten Dagen hieronder informatie over bezienswaardigheden in
het stadhuis, in de vorm van een rondwandeling. De nummers corresponderen met de zaalnummers.