The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (In Dutch: Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen, abbreviated: KNAW) is an organization dedicated to the advancement of science and literature in the Netherlands. The Academy is housed at the Trippenhuis in Amsterdam. It was founded in 1808. In addition to various advisory and administrative functions it operates a number of research institutes and awards many prizes, including the Lorentz Medal in theoretical physics, the Leeuwenhoek Medal in microbiology, and the Dr. A.H. Heineken Prizes.