The present invention relates to a lithographic apparatus including a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate held on a substrate support, the patterned beam of radiation being patterned with a patterning device held by a patterning device support. The lithographic apparatus includes an exchangeable object handling apparatus for exchanging an exchangeable object with a exchangeable object station and a support, the exchangeable object being one of the substrate and the patterning device and the support being one of the substrate support and the patterning device support, the exchangeable object handling apparatus including an intermediate holding device for holding an exchangeable object, which intermediate holding device can interact with the support to place an exchangeable object on or take an exchangeable object from the support, and a robot which can exchange an exchangeable object with the support, the intermediate holding device and said exchangeable object station.