Please plan to attend a special meeting following our guest presenter and be prepared to vote on the following: "I endorse the decision of the Executive Board of AWC The Hague to accept the purchase offer for the AWC Clubhouse dated January 31, 2012 (clarifications February 2, 2012) and to rent an interim space to support ongoing club operations while we seek an optimal long-term clubhouse solution."

The AWC of The Hague clubhouse is located in the suburb Scheveningen, a short tram ride from The Hague's city center. Our lovely three-story house provides club members with a variety of facilities, including meeting rooms, an English-language library, crèche, gift shop, and the Tulip Café. Local artists exhibit their work in the house, providing us with an ever-changing art gallery.

Welcome Newcomers!

Newcomers are encouraged to join us for ongoing activities such as Heart Pillow, Chat 'n Crafts, for activities like Lunch and a Movie, at general meetings for some coffee, socializing, and for lunch at the Tulip Café. Check out our activities and tours pages, our calendar, weekly e-news and Going Dutch for more details. We STRONGLY recommend getting involved as soon as possible to help you adjust to your new home, meet new friends and have some fun!

A brief history of the Clubhouse

In 1930 the AWC of The Hague was started with 55 charter members who held monthly meetings, teas and programs, including an annual Thanksgiving dinner, at the Hotel Des Indes. The Library was started soon after the Club was established and was first located in the Hotel Vieux Doelen, later in a restaurant, and then in Arbeid Adelt until WWII, when it went underground and all Club records were destroyed in order to protect the safety of members remaining in The Netherlands. In 1946 the library re-emerged and meetings were resumed at Arbeid Adelt. In 1964 the library was moved to the American Protestant Church of The Hague where it remained for 20 years.

In April 1984 the AWC bought the present clubhouse. Besides the Library needing a more permanent space, the magazine was outgrowing the editor½s dining room table. And because The American School was in The Hague at that time, the house on Nieuwe Duinweg seemed the perfect location. It had been a day school for handicapped children (the basement had a small gym and whirlpool baths). When the school left the premises, the Sudanese Embassy moved in and it was from them the Club purchased the house. Through a lot of hard work by Members and their families it was transformed into the clubhouse we know and love.

In March 2011, club members voted unanimously to seek a replacement to our current clubhouse due to the high burden associated with operating and maintaining a house of this age and size. The Board and the Relocation Committee have been working hard to move forward with this effort, and we have now received an acceptable bid for the purchase of the house. As promised, the Board is now coming back to the membership to ask you to endorse our plans for moving forward with the sale of the house and relocation to another property. On February 9, members will be informed about the events and analysis leading up to this important decision and will be asked to vote on the following resolution:

"I endorse the decision of the Executive Board of AWC The Hague to accept the purchase offer for the AWC Clubhouse dated January 31, 2012 (clarifications February 2, 2012) and to rent an interim space to support ongoing club operations while we seek an optimal long-term clubhouse solution."

Many of you share the Executive Board's mixture of strong emotions as we confront the realities involved with moving our club forward toward a financially secure future that will give us the freedom to devote our energies to the core mission of our club, and we hope you will join us to take this important step forward together.

Come for a visit

The AWC library currently has the largest selection of English books and multimedia available to borrow in The Hague. You can come peruse, then relax with a drink and perhaps lunch in our well-known Tulip Café. For those members with tots you can schedule the Crèche (nursery) to allow yourself even more time to visit the gift shop and art gallery, maybe attend a class, and much, much more. For more information on anything concerning the club, please click on the drop down menu under "Clubhouse" or contact our Front Office.

The AWC is an organization run 100% by volunteers. We need your help. Please see our Volunteer page for immediate openings. Thanks!