On October 7, 2025, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines celebrated its 106th birthday with the unveiling of a new Delft Blue miniature house. This year, the honor goes to a special building: the former sexton’s residence Villa Rameau beside the Pieterskerk in Leiden.
Since 1916 the Rameau family lived in the sexton’s house, which played a central role in Leiden’s resistance during World War II. As of this month, Villa Rameau has a new purpose: it now houses the Pilgrim Museum, officially known as the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum. This smallest museum in the city will officially reopen later in October after moving into the former sexton’s house.
From Leiden to America: The Pilgrim Fathers’ Legacy
The Pilgrim Fathers were a group of English Separatists who, in 1609, came to Leiden in search of religious freedom. They stayed for twelve years and became part of the city’s life. In 1620, some of them sailed to America aboard the Mayflower, where their first Thanksgiving— inspired by the Leiden Relief Festival— grew into the American Thanksgiving holiday. The Thanksgiving tradition is still celebrated annually at the Pieterskerk, honoring this unique bond between Leiden and America.
“With Villa Rameau, we are bringing to life a unique piece of Leiden’s history,” says Marjan Rintel, President and CEO of KLM. “The story of the Pilgrims and the Rameau family shows how important connectedness and resilience are—values that are close to our hearts at KLM. Moreover, this site underscores the special bond between Leiden and the United States. Just as the Pilgrims once built a bridge between two worlds, KLM has been building this transatlantic connection for decades and today flies non-stop to 15 destinations in the United States. In this way, we continue to connect people, cultures, and stories from both sides of the ocean.”
“It is an honor that Villa Rameau, with its remarkable history and central location in Leiden, is now part of the KLM miniature house collection,” explains Leiden’s Mayor Peter Heijkoop. “This house tells an important chapter of the city’s history, from the Pilgrims to the resistance. We are proud that the story is being shared with the world in this way.”
About the Delft Blue Miniature Houses by KLM
Since the 1950s, KLM has offered Delft Blue miniature houses, filled with Dutch Bols gin, to World Business Class passengers on intercontinental flights. The houses are miniature replicas of notable buildings in the Netherlands and beyond, and they have become popular collectibles. Since 1994, the number of houses has matched KLM’s age. Each year on October 7, KLM’s birthday, the collection is expanded with a new house. The annual KLM miniature house is a tribute to places that connect the Netherlands with the rest of the world.
