[2] The permanent collection includes numerous paintings from the Dutch Golden Age and the baroque period, as well as a sizeable collection of landscape art and 19th century paintings.

[2] The museum has been described as having one of the most important collections of Dutch Masters in the Netherlands with art on display from Aelbert Cuyp, Rembrandt, Jacob van Strij and others.

[3] The museum was established in 1842 by a group of five art collectors from the Dordrecht area.

[4] It moved to its current location in 1904 taking over the converted building of a former asylum for the mentally ill.[3] However the building was expanded with a new wing to allow for temporary exhibitions, as well as better visitor facilities, including toilets, a shop and restaurant (the Grand Cafe).

[3] In 2015, the museum restituted to the heirs of Jacques Hederman a painting by Jacob Cuyp (1594 – 1652) which had been looted by the Nazis.