The conference venue is the historic City Concert Hall or “The Stadsgehoorzaal” in Leiden. The Stadsgehoorzaal is an impressive example of neo-renaissance architecture, which is hardly found in the Netherlands anymore. The front facade with the colonnade gives the building a special allure. Decorations and ornaments are made of zinc and sandstone.

Parts of the original interior (that survived the fire of 1889), such as the wainscoting and balconies in the main hall and the entire interior of the second concert hall have been preserved to this day. The Stadsgehoorzaal is in the heart of Leiden with dozens of shops, restaurants and pubs within walking distance and less than 1 kilometer from the main railway station with direct trains to Amsterdam International Airport Schiphol (<15 minutes).

Situated at a historically important junction, where waterways and roads cross, lies a city that will enchant you: the city of Leiden, famous for its university, museums, waterways, and alms-houses. The spirit of the Golden Age lives on in this medieval city where Rembrandt was born, and which has inspired countless amounts of other influential painters. Ever since, Leiden continued to attract those that were on a quest for knowledge and freedom of expression, from Rembrandt van Rijn to Armin van Buuren, from Pilgrim Fathers to T.rex and from tulip to Albert Einstein.

The historic canals, the beautiful buildings, and alleyways have surrounded those who have made important discoveries for centuries. Leiden is home to the oldest university in the Netherlands and one of the largest life sciences & health clusters in Europe. Leiden still is a typical university city and the many students from all over the world give the city a bustling, vivid and international atmosphere.

Easy to reach

Leiden is easy to reach and in the heart of Holland. Only 15 minutes away from Amsterdam International Airport Schiphol (with more than 300 direct international connections) and the North Sea sand beaches. And only 30 minutes away from historic cities like The Hague, Harlem, and Amsterdam.

City of science

Since the first university in the Netherlands was founded here in 1575, Leiden has been a city where innovation and scientific exploration have flourished. With a prestigious library, botanical garden, observatory and academic hospital, the university quickly gained a reputation which drew in scholars from across Europe. Over the centuries, the contributions of Leiden’s scientists have been wide-ranging and extensive. They have made major discoveries in every field, from medicine to astrology, physics, mathematics, and animal behaviour. This talent has been recognised globally; there have been 16 Leiden-based Nobel Prize winners since 1901. You can learn more about their achievements in the science museum Boerhaave that happens to be the preferred location for the conference dinner.

World-wide connections

Leiden has special and historic relations to many places in the world. For instance, nine US presidents have roots in Leiden as descendants of the Pilgram Fathers who fled to Leiden to escape persecution. Or visit the SieboldHuis / Japan museum that houses the collection that Siebold himself had once exhibited here. Franz Philipp von Siebold (1796-1866) lived in Leiden and displayed his collection of Japanese objects and artefacts to a captivated public.