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The entrance into the museum is under a large and beautiful tunnel that has a busy bike path you need to watch out for. There were so many amazing art pieces I really enjoyed seeing. I breezed through some exhibitions I wasn't as interested in but felt I saw most everything I wanted. I was here for about 2 1/2 hours before leaving. A really beautiful museum set up with some amazing items to show.
This museum is the Louvre of the Netherlands. It contains an unbelievable collection of art and Dutch history. We spent a little over three hours here and barely made a dent in it. We did a private tour in October 2025 with a personable and knowledgeable guide. He got us in at opening and took us straight up to the third floor's Galley of Honour. Here we saw The Night Watch as well as many other notable creations by Rembrandt. This collection is the pride of this museum, and rightfully so. The Great Hall was also impressive, and the history of it developed as the religious powers in the Netherlands changed - influencing even the floor designs and paint schemes in here. One can spend all day here and not get it all in - so I recommend hitting the third floor first before working your way down. It fills up quick and by lunch time you will be overwhelmed by people as well as your surroundings. If you even barely appreciate art, you will love your time here.
This museum was huge! Beautiful to look and on both the inside and the outside. Beautiful gardens and greenery and the building was an architectural masterpiece. Our story is a little funny because even tho we paid to enter, we were so tired from the day already that we only entered for a mere 3 minutes and then stepped out to go look for Stroopwaffles. We barely saw anything here, but hey everyone says it's a must-see when you're visiting Amsterdam.
To say there's a lot to see here is an understatement...the Rijksmuseum ranks up there as a world class art institution and for good reason! With over 1 million objects in the collection, only about 8000 are displayed at a given time, including a veritable collection of Dutch art from famous painters like Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, Steen, van Ruisdael and Van Gogh which are displayed prominently in the museum's keystone display halls. Located in the Museumwartier (museum quarter) part of town, you can't miss this building with its red brick facade and tunnel passageway running thru the center splitting the building into two halves and connecting the surrounding streets. Established in 1798 as a national museum in the style of Paris' Louvre, the museum collections were originally located in The Hague and moved several times before arriving to its modern location. The current building was designed by Pierre Cuypers in an amalgamated Neo-Gothic and Dutch Renaissance style, opening to the public in 1885. The latest version of the museum interior was a result of renovations completed only 12 years ago, when the museum closed for 10 years between 2003-2013 for this overhaul. My shortsighted hopes of canvassing the entire museum within 4 hours proved unrealistic since I spent about 4.5 hours going thru two-thirds of the museum briskly, then practically ran thru the last third. A few areas may have been missed...(who's really spending a lot of time in the medieval art wing right?) though I was glad to view most of the better known pieces on my radar! A handful of the many highlights include: - Rembrandt's "The Night Watch" a portrait of a civilian soldiers in the 17th century which apparently wasn't a nighttime scene at all, the painting only looked dark due to the darkening of the varnish over time. - A number of Rembrandt's other paintings are on display, including a few "Self Portrait"'s, "The Wardens of the Amsterdam Drapers' Guild," known as 'The Syndics', "Rebecca and Isaac," known as 'The Jewish Bride', "An Old Woman Reading, probably the prophetess Hannah," and "Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem" - Vermeer's "The Milkmaid," "Woman Reading a Letter," "The Love Letter," and "View of Houses in Delft," known as 'The Little Street' - his paintings are hyper realistic for his time, and his capture of light is spectacular. - the beautiful library with vaulted ceilings, filled with art history books, the largest research library of its kind in the Netherlands. - a ground floor (floor 0) display of specialty objects like ship models, period clothing, jewelry and accessories, guns and rifles, serving ware, entertainment and household decorations--thousands of items that all warranted more time reading thru descriptions and admiring their distinctive elements. I would certainly spend more time here if I come again. Hours are 9am to 5pm daily. Adults €25, free for 18 and younger, discounted or free tickets available for those with certain membership card/pass holders. Entry time slots must be booked online in advance. My recommendation if you're interested in a number of sights, museums and activities is to book thru the "i amsterdam" card valid for a certain number of days including public transit, since ticket prices add up quickly. Cloakroom and lockers are available. Bathrooms were in ok shape. Public transportation via metro, tram and bus are nearby within 3-7 min walking distance. For more info: https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en
A very large art museum and unfortunately we had a limited time to explore in, but the main area is beautiful, bright and airy. The museum is a bit confusing on how to get to certain areas, as there's wasn't clear signage and the map wasn't super clear, at least to us. I would be walking to places twice or hitting dead ends. Probably having a limited time didn't help with the anxiety of trying to see everything. I didn't take a pamphlet and reading reviews, this seems to be extremely helpful so I recommend getting that and not just relying on signage. My favorite spots was the library within as well as the versace exhibit. Will be sure to have more time allotted for next time!
The Rijksmuseum is beautiful and is filled with amazing pieces. If the weather isn't great, I would make this a priority while sightseeing. We visited on a hot summer day and my favorite part was the gardens outside the Rijksmuseum. Had the weather been worse, I'm sure I would have enjoyed being inside more. There is lots to explore inside, something for everyone, along with a gift shop when you leave. Bathrooms are readily available. We purchased our tickets in advance and had no delay at time of entry.
Great visit. Initially we intended to only still the gardens but we're so taken by the building that we bought tickets. Also, why go to Van Gogh museum when in limited time and you can see Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Vermeer all here? It's a beautiful museum full of paintings and other artifacts. We only stayed about 1.5 hours as it didn't hold our 8 and 10 year old's attention, but we enjoyed. The laminated cats that you could pick up and read about painting details was very cool and my kids liked that. The highlights were the large library, from any book lovers dreams. I've seen it on tik tok and was excited to visit such a place. Disappointed to find out that you only see from a balcony, but still loved it. The main highlight was the opportunity to watch Rembrandt's famous Night Watch being restored. What an incredible process and so special to see.
The museum is huge and can be overwhelming. As I get older and weaker, I find it harder to get through an entire museum comfortably. I've held true to the belief that it's okay to whizz by a gallery or rooms that don't hold your interest, but with added pain, it makes sticking around even tougher. That being said, there are a lot of elevators that, in my experience, were only used by those that actually needed it, and not the lazy entitled tourist. There are many benches throughout the galleries as well. People using said benches to watch reels at full volume. We've failed as a species. Violent fantasies increase. By coincidence, the special exhibit was on "American Photography" and there's nothing wrong with a little Robert Frank when you're museum hopping. The special exhibit might be a little hard to find, and it's a bit like a mouse in a maze trying to find its cheese to get there. Staff is friendly and helpful. You have to buy tickets before entering. There's a nondescript dude standing somewhere random you can buy a ticket from. There's a huge fascist style banner with a QR code you can do it on your phone. You can do it online ahead of time, but then you're restricted to the entry time you chose, though they may not be strict about it, depending on crowd volume. Spent about two hours there and barely saw what they have. Must visit, when in Ams.
Absolutely amazing museum filled with wonderful art -- so inspiring to spend time in the galleries. The Dutch Masters paintings just glow. We spent hours just enjoying the art with a delightful break for lunch in the museum cafe.the shop was fun to browse in too. I would suggest a visit - and a reservation. You won't be sorry.
What a nice museum! It was convenient to get here--there was a direct tram route from my hotel, but I decided to walk, and it was only about fifteen minutes, and getting my ticket online was as easy as pie. There is lots to see for sure, but it's still manageable. The museum is clearly laid out, so you can easily navigate. (It's essentially by time period.) You'll find work by many masters as well as a potential new favorite, along with all sorts of media, as well as items of more archaeological interest. I really loved some of the small sculpture, the doll houses, and the (not so small) model ships. Don't forget to admire the building itself--it's got gorgeous architecture. I recommend going earlier in the day, as traffic does pick up.
We had limited time in Amsterdam so chose going to the Rijksmuseum over the Van Gogh museum because there are some Van Gogh paintings here along with so much more. The architecture of the Rijksmuseum building is impressive and quite interesting with its stained glass windows. It is the national museum in the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history. You can see relics of the Dutch colonial days here along with amazing art. I loved seeing all the Rembrandt paintings, and while The Night Watch is pretty spectacular to see in person, I also loved seeing the details (like the hands) in another of his paintings, The Jewish Bride. A painting that I especially loved, Young Italian Woman, with 'Puck' the Dog, is by an artist I hadn't hear of before, Thérèse Schwartze. Overall, I enjoyed my time here but thought it was way too busy (even with timed tickets).
A large museum housing many collections from different countries of the world. Prominently housing some famous Dutch artists as well. It's a large space, so be prepared for lots of walking. It's very clean and bright in the main lobbies but dimly lit in the art spaces to preserve the pieces. The staff are helpful and speak many different languages. Make reservations online so you're guaranteed entry. read more
I can't say that I'm a huge museum buff so please take my review with a grain of salt! It was a really great variety of artifacts, paintings and sculptures. Loved the ability to download the app instead of using the museums headset but it was super wonky. It was hard to follow from one exhibit to the next even with putting the location service on. I get a little antsy reading all the placards especially when there is a large crowd around one so I just looked up the numbers and searched on the app the ones I was interested in learning more about. All in all, would I go again? Probably not, but would I recommend it to others - for sure read more
I'm always happy to revisit places I visited long ago, you can appreciate the works of art all over again...but not the crowds. For those art lovers you'll appreciate the notable works of Rembrandt and famous Dutch artists Vincent Van Gogh and Johanne Vermeer. Plan to spend at least 2 hours here. Buy your tickets in advance, get your headphones and do the self-tour and learn about art. You'll have a front row seat to the Night Watch, The Milkmaid and many others. Peek inside the library too it's unbelievable. Located in the museum square walking distance to the Van Gogh Museum. Gift shop and cafe located inside for all your trinket shopping. read more
If you happen to be in Amsterdam, Rijks Museum is a must stop for all tourists. From what I hear, it has over 5000 paintings along with millions of other items for display. It was fairly crowded when me and the kiddos went. While I am not the one from a strong arts background, I certainly appreciated all the artwork that was on display. My main goal was to make it to the 'Night Watch' painting, before the kids started fussing to leave. I remember that there were 3 main floors with rooms and rooms of display. Each room would sprawl to the other and I was just stuck gazing at all the artwork. You can easily spent a whole day at this museum, as there is so much artwork to be seen, along with description and a brief history of each painting and display. I told the kids to enjoy all the artwork and painting. They were taking pictures and reading all the captions of all the masterpieces. I forewarned them, that once we get to the Night Watch, that wont be as easy. It was heavily guarded and barricaded. I still was able to get a couple of good snaps. My God, it felt like I was in the painting, just observing all the commanders. We also got to see the waterloo by Van Gogh, which was another classic. For all you art lovers, this museum is a must, along with the van Gogh and the Rembrandt museums. Enjoy. read more
2 years ago
Amazing. Such a selection of art and I found drawn to pieces I would have never expected to gravitate towards. The audio tour is pretty cool to get some history and commentary and you can use your phone as well. Just don't be that guy on speaker please. Get there early and avoid some of the crowding out front. When I left around noon there was quite a queue. Too many good things to list. A must for your visit and give yourself three hours to enjoy it all. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
3 years ago
Beautiful building housing so many amazing works of art and artifacts, from ancient to modern. Of course, do not miss the works of Dutch artists Rembrandt and Von Gogh. Easy to get lost in here for hours. For those who do an "abbreviated" walk through, there are large laminated pages of what you should know about certain pieces you are looking at. I had problems navigating the map and getting from floor to floor, but in the end I just went with it but made sure I saw everything! The cafe is delicious but has a limited menu and the gift shop is not too shabby, either. read more
4 years ago
A museum that focuses on art and bits of history. Booking with the I amsterdam city card was easy enough (though you still have to reserve a time). They have helpful paper maps, and it's easy enough to get around with these. I'd say tours (both audio tours and tours led by a person) aren't really necessary. All signs and placards are in Dutch and English. You don't need to know any Dutch to visit this museum. I would say it takes about 2 hours to glance at everything. Probably a full day to look at everything closely. read more
7 years ago
Rijksmuseum is the grand-daddy of all museums in Amsterdam. It's THE national museum of the Netherlands, so you definitely will want to check out this icon. We visited Rijksmuseum in the early morning, which was way too early for us, but it was the only time slot that we could get the day we wanted to visit. A 9AM time slot was brutal, especially since I was hungover; but no regrets. Rijksmuseum is absolutely lovely, with sooo many historic Dutch artwork housed here. I spent three hours here and didn't even get halfway through the museum. Seriously, this one is huge! Yes, I do tend to spend forever at museums, but I had to quickly make my way around to the pieces I wanted to see because of another appointment we were trying to make. With that said, I specifically sought out the Rembrandt works, which were absolutely stunning. The museum has so many rooms of Rembrandt's pieces, from his early sketches to his still-life portraits. Be prepared to get cozy with others wanting to see Rembrandt's pieces, as the wait to see a piece upclose can get long. Did I mention the museum is huge? Once you enter the museum there is a massive lobby area with several different entryways to different rooms. Luckily, a lot of staff were around when we visited to navigate tourists where to go. Just remember that the lines are real and to plan accordingly. Get tickets early! There's a likely chance you will not see all of the museum, so study ahead of time of where you wish to go. Three hours was not nearly enough. But I'm so glad I was able to visit this historic museum and landmark. read more
I'll preference this by saying I'm not necessarily a "museum person." All that said I was blown away by the "Riks museum" as I took to calling it. We bought the I Amsterdam pass ( which im still not 100% sure was a great deal,) but it includes entry to this museum.(Also unfortunately note that the "Iamsterdam" sign isn't at the museum any longer if you want a photo op.) The collection was just wonderful though. Not just paintings, but models, clocks, furniture, China, decorative arts....if you've ever watched the old BBC show "Lovejoy" everything in this place looked like it could have been the center of an episode of the show. The building itself is both large and striking and kind of quaint. Theres a Nice sized gift shop (complete with huge Playmobile figures at the entry.) Theres a huge Rembrandt and Vermeers collection here. Just paintings that are really interesting and I'd never seen even in books. Theres also a huge model ship area, and a big Rococo collection. We may not have covered the whole thing but I was super impressed. As good as it gets!(& did I mention I dont even like museums?:) read more
4 years ago
Amazing architecture and art. You will be reminded of you don't go. History is amazing. Join a tour guide for more information about the art. read more
This is a world class museum that houses world class art! It's been written up as one of the museums in the world you must visit before you die, and it did not disappoint. If you enjoy museums, definitely find time to take a peek inside here. We only had a couple of hours in the Rijks, but it was well worth it. If you're limited on time, as we were, take the "Highlights of the Museum" tour. It's an hour long, but will help you quickly maneuver through the extremely crowded museum to see the art pieces you've always read about. Our guide was wonderful and informative. Everyone comes to see Rembrandts' Night Watch (refer to my photo). It's truly a grand spectacle and is worth the visit alone. Fun fact: There's a carve out on the floor, just beneath the painting, and in the event of a catastrophic event, the painting will be removed and hidden under the floor. Apparently, not even a fire would spark something like that from happening, but something even more catastrophic. Johannes Vermeer' "The Milkmaid" is also a must see. Sorry folks, the "Girl with a Pearl Earring" isn't here, but at the Hague. One can easily spend hours here sauntering. In addition to the paintings, there's a library, a fun dollhouse collection to view, a collection of goblets and a good size exhibit of delftware. Also, don't miss the passage, where bikes zoom by. Regardless of what you choose to see, just be sure to make a visit to the Rijks! P.S. I'd probably pass on the Museum Cafe though, unless you have lots and lots of extra time, as service is painfully slow (Refer to my review for details). read more
2 years ago
We took the "Skip the Line" tour to see the Rijksmuseum which was supposed to be an eight hour tour which also include the Van Gough, and a ride through the canels. We signed up for the English only version but was put with the tour group that was in English and Spanish. (But that is for a different review.) The tour guide was a nice enough fellow but only showed us a few key paintings. This museum is massive with great works of art. You really should just buy a ticket for the museum, and go on your own, and don't group it with anything else. You are doing yourself a disservice by not allowing time to take in the master paintings. When we were there they had the works of Rembrandt. On a side note that museum is so massive, with so many people, shoulder to shoulder, that I got separated from the group, and ended up just going down by the cafe to wait for everyone else. read more
This place was filled with so much art and history. Even after three hours we still did not get through everything. The building itself is stunning and beautiful. If you love museums, this is definitely one you can get lost in all day long. read more
3 years ago
Great staff located throughout. Security was subtle and necessary given the current news of art destruction. The Vermeer exhibit was def a once in a lifetime experience. read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
The Rijksmuseum is the National Museum of the Netherlands. The museum has stood in its present position since 1885 and has recently completed a 10 year 376 million Euro renovation. The Rijksmuseum encompasses 800 years of Dutch Art and history through 8,000 objects in 80 galleries. The most notable of these galleries is the Gallery of Honor celebrating the Golden Age of Dutch Art where paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hais and Jansteen can be found. The museum also has a rich collection of sculptures, clothing, weapons, doll houses, etc.. The actively used library is worth seeing as well. Tickets are valid for one day. You can leave the building and come back during that day. Printed or mobile vouchers are accepted. Tickets are non-refundable. There is free WiFi in the museum, however there are no pets allowed or smoking. The cafe is pricey and basic. There are better options outside the museum. The coat check line gets backed up. The Amsterdam City Card is $119.29 USD. TIPS: 1) Buy your ticket online. Cost of the ticket is $23.75 USD. Avoid lines. 2) Buy the audio tour to really get insights into the paintings. 3) Following the timeline is a good option for seeing the museum. 4) Another good option is purchasing the "Get your Guide" app.. 5) A time slot comes with your ticket so get your ticket early. read more
The amount of time you could spend in here is hard to calculate, it would be worth every minute though. Around every corner of this place I found another room that I wanted to explore. The variety of artifacts, from weapons to paintings, was a lot of fun to take in. It will be worth a second visit next time I am here. read more
We love this museum. It's one of the reasons why Amsterdam is one of the cities we are visiting on this trip. Ample benches are provided throughout the building. The problem I had was when we excited level 1 to go to level 0 to see exhibits on that level, we inadvertently ended up on the unpaid section of level 0. We had to get our tickets scanned again. This happened twice. The ticket taker said you can use your ticket multiple times. How odd. Don't forget to visit the gardens. You don't need tickets to see these. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
We had a super great time visiting the Rijksmuseum. The collection was massive and there was so much to see. It was very overwhelming but so worth to visit. The library was super cool too to see. Definitely worth a visit. read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
Wow! Where to even begin with this...so much to do and so much to see sums it up nicely I think. With various wings and levels compromising of Dutch history and art to the displays of Asian artifacts, there's tons to see here! Spent about 2 hours here with my girlfriend and we were only able to see 1 half of the museum! Bonus points for being able to see the newly opened Rembrandt exhibit which was stunning. Very happy to get to come here and would definitely without a doubt encourage everyone to go! If you have the 'I Am Amsterdam' city card, admission is free! Amazing staff who are friendly and extremely helpful. Tip: hang around the halls outside the exit and hear some amazing street music being played by performers. read more
No visit to Amsterdam is complete without a tour of the Rijksmuseum! The Rijksmuseum has been at the top of my list of places to see in the world since an archives project in graduate school. I spent countless hours pouring over historical records and photos of visits to the museum and its priceless collection of art and knew I had to see it with my own eyes one day. I'm so glad that I finally could make the opportunity to do so! The museum was everything I could have hoped for! The museum is a work of architectural art in and of itself, but the works it houses have earned the right to be called masterpieces! Most famously, it is home to the Night Watch, one of the best and most well-known of Rembrandt's paintings. It is monumental, covering an entire wall of one hall and only appears more detailed and magnificent after a recent cleaning. I have loved the masters of the Northern European Renaissance for years and it was a life-changing experience to finally see this work in person. The rest of the museum and artists are magnificent, but a viewing of the Night Watch stands out. Overall, you must take the time to visit the Rijksmuseum on a trip to museum. You won't regret it! read more
10 years ago
This museum is BEAUTIFUL. I'm so glad we made it here on my quick trip to Amsterdam. The short: beautiful building, great location, easy to navigate and understand, and overall just a great museum. The longer: my friend and I got smart after waiting for the Van Gough museum, and decided to buy tickets in advance for the Rijks Museum -- which was an awesome move. We went right in after checking our coats (free, spacious coat check). We wandered all three floors, discovering new artists and appreciating classics like Van Gough, Rembrandt and Vermeer. We actually learned so much in this museum, because all the plaques had painting and artist descriptions that were super helpful, and for big, famous paintings like "The Night Watch" had informational flyers that helped identify minor elements of the painting. There was a gift shop, clean bathroom, cafe, and restaurant all in the area. Super recommend coming here, and doing a basic betch photo shoot with the "I AM AMSTERDAM" sign in the front. Tourist central? :) read more
The museum has so much to offer it was amazing for me to see some of the well known masterpieces other than Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Hals, Metsu to name a few. It broadened my appreciation of art. I suggest buying your tickets online before you go and best to go early morning or during the week but I was there in October and still very crowded. They do allow some photography but most museums in Amsterdam do not. read more
3 years ago
So worth it! Extensive collection! A beautiful building and a lovely flow of art and history! Everything was interesting and it was not crowded - very spacious - walked into rooms without anyone in them too. Spent 2-3 hours there and probably missed things too. Gardens are gorgeous too! read more
8 years ago
Wow. Wow. Wow. That's all I can say and all that I did say while inside. This place was INCREDIBLE! The most beautiful art museum I have ever visited. I was moved by the art here. I had no idea prior to visiting Amsterdam that they had such incredible art museums, what a rookie mistake. The collections inside are incredible, even the architecture of the building is incredible. I spent 5 hours here and could have truly spent 10. I wish I didn't save this for my last day in Amsterdam because I would have returned for another visit. For being such an incredibly popular museum there were times I found myself alone in rooms just mesmerized by the art around me. It was an incredible feeling. Compared to the art museums I went to in Germany I didn't feel like my every move was being watched. It was stunning to see Night Watch, I've never seen so many large scale paintings. There are so many exhibits to visit and the majority of the rooms contain books that break down the art on the walls, I liked that. It was exciting to see some original Van Gogh and so many pieces by Rembrandt. I learned a lot on my visit here and left the museum moved by such beauty. Tickets are 19 euros, highly suggest buying tickets online to avoid the long line of people purchasing at the gate. You can walk right in and enjoy the beauty that this museum contains. When I return to Amsterdam I will absolutely be returning here. read more
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Museumstraat 1
1071 XX Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Museumkwartier, Zuid
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020-6747000
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https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/
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