Fans of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines who fly as Business Class passengers on an intercontinental flight look forward to choosing a miniature Delft Blue house from a cart rolled down the aisle towards the end of the flight.
KLM has been gifting these miniature gin-filled houses representing special buildings in the Netherlands and beyond to business class passengers since the 1950s. And the carrier releases a new Delft Blue miniature house each year on its birthday, October 7th.
With 106 houses now in the series, the small buildings have become treasured and collectible souvenirs.
Only a handful of limited-edition ‘bonus’ houses have been issued in the series.
And today, to celebrate 80 years of connection between Amsterdam and New York, KLM and the The New York Historical are introducing a limited-edition miniature Delft House modeled after the New York Historical Society Building.
A Delft House Pop-up at The New York Historical
As part of the celebration, The New York Historical, New York’s first museum, will be hosting a Delft House pop-up in its lobby.
From May 22nd to May 27th 2026, an exhibit will showcase the KLM legacy through a wide variety of historical items including menus and in-flight magazines, video footage and digital assets.
There will also be a special display of KLM’s miniature Delft Blue houses on display, ending with the new miniature Delft house of The New York Historical.
Museum visitors will also be able to learn more about the Dutch connection with the exhibition Old Masters, New Amsterdam, which features paintings by Rembrandt and his contemporaries.
