Small, smaller, big. The dollhouses of lady Lita de Ranitz

About Lita

In September 1910, a flag was raised on a house under construction in The Hague. It was no ordinary house, but a modern miniature villa built for lady Lita de Ranitz. This miniature villa, known as The Great Dollhouse, was equipped with different types of modern conveniences. For example: hot and cold running water, central heating, electricity, and even a vacuum cleaner for the maid. The only thing that was missing was space for a husband and children, a matter on which the unmarried Lita was quite adamant.

Starting in 1910, Lita traveled across Europe in search of miniatures and art to furnish her villa. For The Great Dollhouse, she amassed a unique collection of miniature paintings by artists like Anton Mauve, Johan Barthold Jongkind, and Hendrik Akkeringa. The dollhouse became a notable attraction in The Hague and even had its own postal address for dollhouse-related correspondence!

About the exhibition

Starting from November 18, 2023, you can take a journey back in time to The Hague in 1910. A period when the spirit of the 19th century still thrived, and modern conveniences made their way into households, yet interiors harkened back to days of old. A time in which a distinct class divide existed between "the madam" and the maids, but in which an unmarried wealthy lady could still shape her own life. The Great Dollhouse is a unique window into that world, along with a rich collection of twenty dollhouses and other historical treasures left behind by Lita de Ranitz.

Unique in the current exhibition is the interactive "box" where children, parents, and grandparents embark on a journey through time, space, and perspective. This enables visitors to travel through the world of Lita and her maid, from The Hague of the past to the present-day city!