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Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands, covers 800 years of Dutch history, including works by some of history's most influential artists.
The Rijksmuseum is the largest art museum in the Netherlands and is home to an impressive collection of world-famous works by such masters as Vincent Van Gogh, Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, and Frans Hals. With the help of both artworks and historical artefacts, the national museum of the Netherlands tells the story of 800 years of Dutch art and history.
The Rijksmuseum takes you all the way from the Middle Ages to Mondrian. As well as featuring beautiful art work, some of the top attractions in the museum also include their collection of armoury, doll’s houses, and model ships. The museum further consists of the Cuypers Library, the largest and oldest art historical library in the Netherlands. Visitors, students and art historians alike are welcome to use the library to delve deeper into the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
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Discover Dutch masters like Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh
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See the world-famous The Night Watch and Milkmaid
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Dive into history with artefacts from around the world
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Discover Dutch masters like Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh
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See the world-famous The Night Watch and Milkmaid
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Dive into history with artefacts from around the world
Museumstraat 1
1071 XX Amsterdam
Museumstraat 1
1071 XX Amsterdam
The museum's collection consists of more than one million pieces. There are around 8,000 objects on display including paintings, sculptures, and historical artifacts, spanning from the year 1200 to the present. Some of the most notable art works on display include Rembrandt’s The Night Watch (1642), Vermeer’s The Milkmaid (1647), and one of Van Gogh’s untitled self-portraits (1887).
The current building of the Rijksmuseum, designed by Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers, first opened its doors in 1885 and has been a national heritage site since 1970. The most recent renovation project has made sure the museum continues to function as a connection between the past and the present as it combines the old with the modern. The atrium features a high glass ceiling and spacious, contemporary architecture that blends uniquely with the traditional red-brick walls.
The museum's collection consists of more than one million pieces. There are around 8,000 objects on display including paintings, sculptures, and historical artifacts, spanning from the year 1200 to the present. Some of the most notable art works on display include Rembrandt’s The Night Watch (1642), Vermeer’s The Milkmaid (1647), and one of Van Gogh’s untitled self-portraits (1887).
The current building of the Rijksmuseum, designed by Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers, first opened its doors in 1885 and has been a national heritage site since 1970. The most recent renovation project has made sure the museum continues to function as a connection between the past and the present as it combines the old with the modern. The atrium features a high glass ceiling and spacious, contemporary architecture that blends uniquely with the traditional red-brick walls.
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ChildrenChild ticket for 0-18 year olds
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Opening hoursMonday - Sunday: 9.00 - 17.00
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Ticket informationTicket directly available on smartphone
Tickets cannot be rescheduled or cancelled -
Free WiFi available
Free audio-guide available
Wheelchair accessible
Free access to bathroom
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ChildrenChild ticket for 0-18 year olds
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Opening hoursMonday - Sunday: 9.00 - 17.00
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Ticket informationTicket directly available on smartphone
Tickets cannot be rescheduled or cancelled -
Free WiFi available
Free audio-guide available
Wheelchair accessible
Free access to bathroom
- Free tours are available in the Rijksmuseum app in English, Dutch, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Mandarin
- Pets are not permitted inside the Rijksmuseum, except for service dogs
- Free tours are available in the Rijksmuseum app in English, Dutch, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Mandarin
- Pets are not permitted inside the Rijksmuseum, except for service dogs
What a wonderful museum (or perhaps art gallery is more appropriate)! Probably the best art gallery I have been in, ever. The collection is magnificent. The building is a dream (and it was only built just over 100 years ago? It felt - in a good way - like it was built 500 years ago. Kudos to the architect). You will want to book tickets in advance online. There is a restaurant in the facility - I did not check it out. Nearby there were food trucks and a few eating establishments.
Really good museum visit while in Amsterdam. Spent around two hours walking around enjoying all the art and artifacts which was a good way to fill in time.
A wonderful collection of art work from around the world. Something for everyone. Could spend hours here. Cloakroom available and toilets facilities were good.
Joined the small group guided tour of the Rijksmuseum where focus was on pieces of the Dutch Golden Age at the second floor. Magnificent pieces including model of the ship William Rex, doll houses, Delftware, and of course, art works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Leyden. After tour, visited the special exhibit on arms and ship models at the ground floor. Need an entire day to check out all the impressive pieces of the museum. Love the Grand Hall with the stained glass portraits!
Truly a pleasure to visit and spend time on this place. It's so easy to spend an entire day looking through the incredibly beautiful place. It not crowded. The museum is very spacious and has so many different scenaries. Absolutely 💯 must visit.
First class experience. Wish we had more time to fully take it in. We only had a couple of hours. Not nearly long enough. We only had a couple of hours. Not nearly enough.
The museum places in the premier league of art and cultural museums. While restoration works are still ongoing at some areas, many famous exhibits of e. g. Rembrandt or Van Gogh are accessible. Really visiting and enjoying every art work will take a full day for sure.
With numerous collections and a host of Dutch masters that you have seen for years in art books, this is a can't-miss if you have any appreciation for great art. The last time I was here we just walked up for tickets, but now tickets are required in advance. Luckily, they are readily available and we had no problem booking same-day tickets. We started by making a bee-line for the main gallery holding Rembrandt's Night Watch at the end. Numerous painting you've seen before line the sides of great hall. We continued going through a few of the other rooms nearby, and ended up going downstairs to the more modern artists, including a few Van Goghs. Taking a break, we sat in the cafe and had something to drink and rested for a bit before starting again. One room I had never seen before was the library, which is a huge room stretching from the ground floor to the roof, lined with bookshelf containing thousands of books on art and art history for academic research. After spending the entire afternoon, we were kicked out at closing. A must visit in Amsterdam.
The most famous works by Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Vermeer draw big crowds, so if you get there early, maybe see these first. There is so much to see in here, that I'd recommend allotting at least 3 hours plus.
The museum is amazing! You will walk and climb stairs a lot, so wear a comtable shoes is important. The souvenir shop is worth to visit. I spent about 4 hours in the museum. Definitely a must-see place when you visit Amsterdam. You can find the map on the ground floor.
For a non art buff this has decent selection of Dutch paintings by the famous vermeer and and Rembrandt. However it is not as varied as the The National Gallery in London or the Louvre.
Expansive museum housing great works of art in a beautiful building. Bought tickets ahead of time and I’d highly recommend doing so to avoid waiting for a long time in line. You can easily spend a full day here, but at the very least, allot three hours to browse the galleries. There is a cafe inside and though overpriced, it is nice to be able to rest your feet. You order through your phone but the waiters can help if needed. They do have kids options. You can take pictures of the art, though be sure to follow all posted signs. The Night Watch was under restoration when I went so I was unable to view it fully, but many other works including the dollhouses, the Swan, and the Milkmaid were all there. The library is especially nice to see, and is a working library. Overall, a great spot to visit if you love art/culture.
Whilst queuing, we tried to buy the tickets online. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any for the current time slot, but only for in 1.5 hours. We asked the man checking the tickets and he said it was fine, to just buy the later session and he’d let us in which was nice. It was very busy (mid afternoon). There are lockers but all were booked out, but there’s a cloakroom. If you carry a backpack, they ask you to wear it on your front. There’s some fantastic art from the Dutch masters - however the Night Watch is under conservation so it’s more difficult to see. The layout of the museum is also a bit hard to navigate due to how much is in it, but the maps help. There a nice cafe that we had a coffee in, you can either order via a waiter or QR code which is convenient.
The museum is wonderful! The art there is just amazing, the staff is nice and friendly. It’s just a bit crowded (which is absolutely expected), which ends up in a bit of a slower tempo of moving around. But nevertheless, it was an amazing experience!
This was wonderfull experience. Friendly staff, unbelievable art, the architecture - definately worth it. My favourte part was all the dogs in the paintings AND conservation of Nightwatch. It is super fascinating to see the process and the conservators on working with this masterpeace.
We walked to the museum from the city center. It was about 2 miles. Not bad on a nice day. The museum is huge. But passes in advance to make sure they are not sold out for the day.
The museum is located a bit south of the city center (maybe a 20 minute walk). There are at least 2 tram lines that service this area and which can get you to the central station in about 20 minutes (you can just use any tap-to-pay credit card on it). I reserved museum tickets a couple of months in advance. We visited on a Tuesday around 1:15 p.m. We arrived a bit early, so we checked out a gift shop nearby (that covers both the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum) and a garden area associated with the Rijksmuseum. We rented the audio tour devices. My unit did not work (it had lost its Wi-Fi connection) but the staff was helpful and replaced it promptly. My wife and I then used it to take the highlights tour. I generally enjoyed this. I paused at several places to look at other works beyond just the highlights, but it generally led us on an accelerated path through the museum. Towards the end, the map leading to the next stop failed to work, so we had to ask directions to some of the stops. Overall, I liked the collection of works, especially the works by Vermeer. It was hard to see The Night Watch due to the conservation work being done, but I appreciate that such work is sometimes required. All in all, I enjoyed this visit. The museum has a number of worthwhile artists / works to see.
The Rijksmuseum's stellar reputation is well earned! We booked online in advance and were permitted to enter before our assigned time slot, which gave us some extra time to explore the museum. It can be overwhelming, and we were happy to use the museum's guide to "must see" exhibits. I was disappointed that the Night Watch was under repair and not only behind a glass shield (thanks climate activists) but also blocked by scaffolding. But there were many other surprises that rounded out our visit nicely. We didn't get the audio guide, but we ran into some acquaintances who were using it and they thought it was helpful. There are lockers and restrooms easily available, plus a cafe and the inevitable gift shop. Don't miss the formal gardens behind the museum for a lovely spot to sit and reflect.
The Rijksmuseum is a must visit. A huge amount of history, simply mind-blowing. The Building is Stunning and beautiful
We bought tickets for our group of business professionals, many who were in Amsterdam for the first time, and novices at art. The website was easy to use and easy to get tickets for our group of 20. The museum offers a variety of art and information that satisfied our art lovers and those who were not. The staff on site was very helpful. The app was a great way to learn more about certain pieces.
A must-see place when you visit Amsterdam; beautifully curated collection with good dual lingual (Dutch-English) description. Plan for minimum of 3 hours to have a good time to enjoy. The gift shop is quite crowded during holidays and weekends but worth visiting. The cafe also gets crowded fast. Highly recommend that you buy the tickets in advance or even cheaper to buy the museum card if you plan for more than 2 museum visits.
Amazing collection of beautiful paintings, sculpture and artworks. Collections of antiquities were amazing, the building itself was stunning.
Very large 3 floor museum, we spent like 3 hours inside and probably still didn’t see everything, it’s a bit like a labyrinth cause it’s so big inside but lot of things to see. Nearby the museum, you can also grab something to eat or drink
Loved the museum. A bit big so plan what you want to see and hit the highlights early (we got there when it opened). About an hour after opening, many of the rooms were quite crowded and we had difficulty seeing all the things we wanted to see. Don't ignore the gardens either, they're fantastic, free, and a nice break from the crowds.
If you only have a chance to see one thing in Amsterdam, this is the place to visit. While it is not as large as I originally thought, there are tons of Old Dutch Masters. I would recommend visiting when they first open because it can get crowded later in the day.
The guide states 2 to 3 hours around this incredible museum but you need a week! There is so much to see. Crowds around “The Nightwatch” but definitely worth seeing. A very comprehensive series of galleries, wonderful history and building. I’d go again.
I began following this museum on Instagram about a year ahead of our trip. Their Instagram feed was very helpful to recognize the magnificent works they hold. Entry is through the tunnel. There are lockers, audio guides, restrooms and an elevator tucked into a corner. Larger bags and water are not allowed in the galleries. You will be checked for items not allowed. There are three floors divided by century. Floor plan pamphlets are available at the entry. This museum has so much to see it might be impossible to do it in one visit. I know I certainly didn't see much in the half day I had there. Of course, I wanted to see the most famous so spent my time on the second floor missing the third. There is a garden to see also. The gift shop has much of the same kind of merchandise you find in any museum shop. They are cashless, even for small purchases.
Great museum. Lots of great pieces from the last 5 centuries. Not just painting too. There is art of all kinds. Well worth visiting.
I would have given this museum 10/10 EXCEPT … I have walking problems. The 2 girls on reception were incredibly rude and hostile to being asked for assistance as to how to access the lift. It really is very difficult to find the lift. It Also has 4 stairs going up BEFORE you can access the lift. Their assistance was SO rude and bad that I asked for the manager. Who was sympathetic and helped. BUT this is one of the main art galleries in the world you should have a designated person to assist those with hearing, sight or physical disability. I nearly cried with the pain after struggling down the stairs. Poor show guys. But the art is spectacular.
Some great paintings and a great place to visit. Although the Night-watch was undergoing restoration it was still awesome. The cafe was surprisingly good and affordable.
If you can only go to one museum in Amsterdam this should be the one. It is a National Museum and tells the story of the people of the Netherlands. The art is amazing - Van Gogh, Vermeer, Rembrandt - they're all here and the galleries are wonderful. Spend at least a morning or afternoon inside. It is well worth the visit.
I don’t consider myself into art but this was an amazing experience. We spent an afternoon here and didn’t cover it all. Could easily spend a few afternoons here but don’t take your kids.
Amazing museum, a little bit of everything, went there twice. You can easy spend 3 hours there, because it is a big place, 4 floors, air conditioner. Nice staff, walk around the outside part, they have lockers, you do not need to book in advance, if you want you can online but if you buy at the ticket shop they ask you if you want to go straight away.
This museum is a must see for a trip to Amsterdam. The sheer amount of content inside makes it well worth the value. The architecture of the building itself is beautiful too.
Signed up for a skip the line private tour. Tour intended to support up to eight guests. We were lucky and ended up being the only guests. Our tour guide hit all the right notes and expertly guided us through all the exhibits. Her knowledge of the painters, their style and interesting tidbits about most of the paintings provided a unique perspective. Guide was personable and very professional. Unfortunately 2.5 hours does not do justice to this great museum.
Worth seeing this museum .we booked the tickets before as we were adviced by a friend who came here two years back.It was amazing old things kept very well. The history was amazing.Everything looked as new.
This museum is a must for all art lovers as it houses some of the finest works of art by some of the greatest artists of all time, all in a beautiful building which is in many ways like a work of art in itself. We had pre-booked tickets online and also booked a guided "highlights of the museum" tour, which I would thoroughly recommend. Our guide, Esme, was knowledgable, entertaining and clearly passionate about the artists and art works on display. The tour lived up to its name, taking in paintings by Van Gogh, Vermeer and of course Rembrandt's famous Night Watch. It would have been easy to spend all day in the museum as there are several floors of art works as well as a garden to explore. We did stop briefly for a coffee and a delicious blueberry muffin in the cafe and also bought a few things in the gift shop, which was crowded, our fault for leaving it until the end of the day to pop in. The staff were generally friendly and helpful throughout the museum.
Great - we all did the kids audio tour for team spirit. It led us to areas we might not have bothered visiting which was lovely. It moves at a pace which is good. Nice to also see a Van Gogh, Vermeer and Rembrandt in one place. We also went up to the top floor to see the Mondrian and Rietveld chair. Four not five stars because they didn’t tell us we wouldn’t be able to see most of the Night Watch due to repairs and a film crew standing in front of it.
Visited this museum 2 years ago with friends and decided to go again this time. Would highly recommend booking tickets as this museum gets very busy, I booked for 11am and found it to be an ideal time. It's also worth downloading the Rijksmuseum's app as the audio guide is free and very informative. On the first visit we chose to listen to 'The best of the Rijksmuseum' tour, this was essentially a highlights tour and took us around the whole museum. The tour includes the famous 'Night Watch' painting by Rembrandt, which is currently under restoration - definitely one of my favourite parts of the museum. On this trip I opted for the 'Colonial Past' tour which focused on Dutch colonial history, trade and slavery. Highly recommend doing this thematic tour if this is of interest to you. By the time I was leaving the museum was very busy so I was unable to try the cafe, however, this is a great museum with some great history - a must do while visiting Amsterdam!
Stunning building and very grand. We came early at 0930 and found the staff very helpful and accommodating unlike some of the reviews. Went straight to the Night Watch which is slightly obscured due to restoration work but the scale and magnificence are still visible. Studied all the paintings in this area and was mesmerised by the skill and genius of the artists on show. Their skill and work is of another dimension - it has to be. We found it easy to navigate once we got our bearings and the map was excellent. I think the descriptions by the paintings could be much larger as people crowded close to try and read what they were looking at and who painted it. We stayed about 4 hours but could easily have stayed longer. I did expect more Vermeers, Rembrandt's, Van Gogh (maybe that was my wishful thinking) but left satisfied and in total awe of these magnificent works of art and the artists who created them.
Beauty is inspiring, and it is also a blessing. I guess it is simply natural to be inspired when you are surrounded with so much natural beauty as I am at this moment at the stunning Greek Island of Kythira. A special place with its own unique kind of beauty. But 'beauty' is a meaning and a value that is rich enough to encompass and subsume many types and kinds which although different they remain related and attached to the same meaning and value, that of beauty as such. In beautiful Kythira, I remembered another beautiful place which I visited briefly and for the first time this year in late June. This place is Amsterdam. Despite the short visit, I was able to recognize and appreciate the 'beauty', which, although different yet equally inspiring. I would personally label Amsterdam as a cool and artful city. Art is indeed possibly the keyword and meaning that defines the city and, more broadly, its culture. The beautiful and very friendly people of Amsterdam also added to this same beauty and artfulness with a good sense of humor and a healthy sense of ease. My visit to the Rijksmuseum during my stay in Amsterdam was a must visit. Other than complementing my aesthetic experience of Amsterdam, it also introduced me to the most prominent Duch artists (and not only) through their important and priceless works of art. I will not list the names of these artists as they are, indeed, many and very well known to most of us. I would rather simply say that there is no better place and building, which in itself is a rare 'piece of art' than the Rijksmuseum which can very adequately and respectfully host and exhibit the valuable work of all these established artists. Art criticism is not my profession. What I could state, however, as a mere receiver and appreciator of good art is that ginuenly talented painters and artists of all kinds help us as viewers, not only enjoy and appreciate the beauty of their art, but also the beauty of nature and more broadly of the life that artistically inspired them. And equally the 'beauty' of 'their nature' as artists enabling them to appreciate and interpret the simple and 'magical' details and uniquely depict and present these through their art. Visit the Rijksmuseum and you will definitely revisit again!
We were here for over 3 hours and started to run out of steam. The collection is incredible, but it is enormous so does take a lot of time. The gardens are also lovely and great street artists on the way through
Am amazing collection of art covering all things Netherlands - Van Gough, Rembrandt, etc. But also really enjoyed the dolls house, musical instruments, and the Asia house. Download the app and some tours before you get there!
This was well worth the money. We found our own way around as the map the museum gives you and the cards at every display gave enough information to suit our needs. We did what was suggested and went at 9am when it first opened and were glad we did so as the lines and people increased after 11am as we were leaving. The map highlights the main things to look out for on each floor, this helped our planning otherwise you could wander for a long time. The Night Watchman was huge but photos disrupted by the research and restoration that is happening with it at present. Overall was a great experience.
The collection is rather large. They even own an assortment of Chinese china and figurines from Asia. The remainder is primarily made up of historical artifacts and European artwork, including a weapons area. Outstanding pieces by artists like as Vermeer and Rembrandt may be seen in the Main Gallery. Not to mention the main gallery's stunning architecture. I used to spend as much time staring at the ceiling as I did painting.
This place is a must. The art work on display is amazing, ranging from well known classical artists to modern works. Be sure to book before you go. It is too big to take it all in one go, choose wisely where you start from. The information desk people are a great source of advice. The cafe there is extremely well run, great service staff, with good food.
Lots of history facts. If you are a history fanatic, you should definitely go. Lots of information to take in so would go again!
We were lucky to buy tickets from the ticket office located between the Van Gogh museum and the Rijksmuseum, some people were turned away after us. I would recommend you buy tickets a couple of days (at least) in advance as otherwise you’re hoping for cancellations or last minute extra releases. We gave ourselves about 2 - 2.5 hours to go through the museum and we managed to see everything that was on offer at the time. We weren’t able to read all the information plaques but managed to have a look at most. The collections within the museum are extremely impressive, with some of the pieces being impressive on both skill of the artist and in size of the piece too! The building itself is a piece of art! Staff were very friendly and able to point us to the areas for specific pieces we were keen to see and some provided interesting information that isn’t immediately available from the information plaques associated to the piece. There are lots of facilities (a shop, cafe and plenty of toilets). There are also lifts to allow easier access to certain levels and pieces which was nice to see as it meant more people could enjoy this museum. Overall, if you’re in Amsterdam and looking for a museum to visit, this is the one! I would recommend that you give yourself a morning or an afternoon in here to enjoy it at a leisurely pace. But most importantly, book your tickets in advance!
We didn't make reservations, which put us in danger. There was a wait, and the personnel preferred that reservations be made online. We completed this quickly and entered right away. A tour was provided by the headset we had. We found the tour itinerary to be unclear, therefore we didn't follow it. It was simple to listen in this way since the paintings that caught our attention had numbers next to them.
I always enjoy going to the Rijk, a very beautiful museum with an amazing art collection. Staff were friendly and attentive. And ofcourse the area around the museum itself, is out of this world! My only criticism, and it's usual for most art galleries, is that crowd control is awful.
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