20 May 2026

In the coming year, renovation work will be carried out at the Old Observatory. This will have a considerable impact on staff and students who work or have classes in this historical building. Working closely with the Real Estate department, our aim is to maintain this faculty location with the care and respect it deserves.

Insulated glazing
The first part of the work got underway in the office section on 18 May. Windows are being replaced with insulated glazing, and the exterior wall is being renovated. This will cause noise disturbance in the adjacent areas. Those affected have already been informed and a detailed schedule for each room has also been provided. The image below shows the different building sections A, B and C, where the window replacement and painting work will be carried out in phases.

Lighting
One of the first activities will be installing LED lighting throughout the building. This will take about 2.5 months and will help towards achieving our sustainability goals. We are looking at how we can combine this work with other activities to limit inconvenience for both staff and students.

Foundations
In addition to the above plans, the foundations of the building need to be replaced. This work is expected to start late 2026 or early 2027 and is certain to cause noise disturbance. To carry out this work, the basement areas will need to be cleared. This will affect the Hortus exhibition and the classrooms. As a result, no teaching can be scheduled in section C of the building during the second semester of 2027.

Teaching and events
Where necessary, courses taught by the Leiden Law Academy will be moved to a different location in Leiden. When planning the work, this will of course be taken into account. The same applies for extra-time exams that are normally held in the Old Observatory. From now until the end of the 2nd semester in 2027, no smaller events such as training courses and receptions will be planned in the Old Observatory. And we will also not be able to host major events such as the Museum Night, Urban Trail and the Night of Discoveries next year. The lunch at Hortus during the EL CID week will go ahead, but with an alternative pedestrian route.

Work
Once all the renovation work has been completed, the building will be a place where all users will once again be able to enjoy a sustainable, future-proof facility!

Questions about this work? Mail LAW - Facilities