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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
We are so pleased we prioritized this museum during our 3 day visit to Amsterdam. We thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a lot about Dutch artists and history. Our favorite was seeing the Night watch by Rembrandt under restoration. It was fascinating to watch the restoration artists at work. The building itself is also interesting. A few tips: 1. Book to go early. We went at 9am and the crowds were greater by 11am 2. Download the app and take earbuds. It helps you navigate and makes for a more engaging experience 3. Allow st least 2 hrs. We were there for 3 hrs.
I visited with family and friends on the recommendation of a colleague. I had no idea what to expect. The museum is actually overwhelming because there is so much there. You really need more than one visit to take it all in. You definitely get a comprehensive view of Dutch history when you visit. The building itself is beautiful, and the exhibits are great. There are stunning stained glass windows in the great hall.
We went a little late in the day at 3.30 to find it shut at 5pm. It was worth going to see the iconic paintings. Well worth a trip. Free lockers which which was helpful.
If you get there early enough, you’ll be able to cruise along all the rooms with tranquility. For people like me, who get tired easily, you will be glad to hear that there is plenty of seating for you to rest your legs. We had a few drinks and some bitterballen at the cafe and had a great time & took nice pics.
Really enjoyed my visit to the Netherlands' most visited museum. A lot of visitors make a straight beeline to this world famous museum and it's easy to see why. You get to see the most renowned works from the world renowned Dutch Masters. If you really appreciate art, you'll probably need about half a day at least to fully take in the contrasting amounts of works. I saw the majority of the works in the three hours I had but I ending missing the Asian Pavillion, but I did see the highlights including Rembrandt van Rijn's Night Watch(under renovation at the time of this review, I was just grateful enough to see it) and Johannes Vermeer's Milkmaid. Try and get there as early as you can, as it is well busier in the afternoon. But if you book online as I did, you are given an hour's slot to make it to the museum. Visited the cafe too and whilst service can be a little slow the busier it gets, it is a fine way to rest weary legs and recharge and despite the prices, is a little less pricier than the restaurant, but I did visit on a Monday when the Rijks restaurant is closed. Shop moderately priced too. I didn't have time to pay a visit to the gardens, but they're free to visit anytime when the museum is open. Thoroughly recommend going round at your own pace, either by downloading the Rijksmuseum app or by spending €6.50(at the time of review) hiring an audio guide. You have more time to appreciate the works than any tour guide can give you. On selected works you simply type in the number provided into the app or screen and you get a personal commentary Can't recommend the Rijksmuseum enough when coming to Amsterdam
Second visit to this hugely popular museum with a massive collection of exhibits on display over four levels. Along with the gift shop and cafe this is a great place to spend a few hours. You’ll need more than a day to fully appreciate the whole collection as after two separate visits, one all day and one just a third of a day, I still haven’t fully seen all of the first floor. Looking forward to completing the lot sometime again soon. The images are only from one of the many many rooms to view
Caught the train from city center to visit a local market. We were close enough to walk to Rijks to check it out as well. I strongly suggest buying tickets online in advance to make entry easier. Buying tickets on site is just from people standing outside no true ticket booths or anything. The interior layout is not what I expect from a museum. Most places have a layout that promotes walking in an order to see everything. Here it is easy to miss exhibits if you don't check every nook and cranny of a floor. If your into art this museum will probably be amazing. I am not into art though and just wanted the experience. I would not suggest the attached cafe for food. Service wasn't great, food was very overpriced and sub par.
Rembrandt and Van Gogh. How could you go wrong? Broad range of art and artifacts very well presented. I have now managed to knock off several of the world’s greatest art museums and the Rijksmuseum is among the best.
We went early morning to Rijksmuseum, it was so busy with school trips waiting to go in which seem to take priority other others who jumped the queue. Not sure if that is standard practice but we didn't mind waiting as it wasn't for long. Security check bags going in and they were really friendly. Lockers are provided for rucksacks. The toilets are clean and tidy. We tried to take the lift to the top floor and work our way down but it was busy so we gave up waiting and climbed the stairs. The whole museum is so clean and tidy, with places to sit and rest. My favourite of all the exhibitions were Operation Night Watch and the papercuts! I used to do papercutting years ago as a hobby and never realised its hundreds of years old! I'm glad we finally managed to visit after trying twice on previous trips.
What a fabulous museum. It is huge so wear comfortable shoes. Stairs and lifts are available and good clean toilet facilities which is so important to many. So much art on display, you could spend hours and hours in the museum. We purchased our tickets in advance so we had our entry time booked. I would recommend buying in advance as it can get very busy, you can't really just turn up or you may have a long wait for the next available entry time. There are lovely gardens attached to the museum and a wonderful fountain. There is shade/cover available in the garden for hot or wet days. Places to eat and get a drink are next to the gardens. There is a cafe inside the museum but there were very long queues for it.
I went to the Rijksmuseum with friends, and it really impressed us. The building is stunning, and the collection takes you through centuries of Dutch art and history. The Night Watch was a major highlight, though it was partially blocked off due to restoration. You could still see it behind glass, which was interesting, but it took away a bit of the impact. Even so, the museum is full of amazing works, and there's so much to explore. Definitely worth a visit.
I am normally not a fan of art museums. I like something more active. This museum was amazing. We could have spent several days here! We used the app for our tour. It was very frustrating to figure out how to use it and where to go at first. Eventually we figured it out and it was very useful. Especially if you have limited time. We ate lunch in the restaurant. It was very good.
This museum is great. When we walked up to the building we were impressed with the design, the building is really large and special. We did have a bit of a wait, standing in line for a while and then not sure where to go with our pre-paid tickets. When we got inside we found it to be well organized and staff knowledgeable. We saw a variety of things to see. Of course the art but also unique statues, glassware and many interesting items. We saw the cafe, it looked very nice. We didn’t have lunch, but I would not hesitate to try it. It was very busy, so maybe reservations if they take them would be worthwhile. No one wants to have to wait a long time for lunch especially with so much to see in the museum. We enjoyed it. It was April, so not as busy a summer, but a line to get in nonetheless. Getting advance tickets would be a good idea.
In early May, it wasn't necessary to book in advance. But most likely, during the busiest season, booking in advance is necessary. Huge collection, pick what you want to see, it's unlikely you will see everything in there at once. Loads of information available even without guided or audio tour. Staff is friendly and helpful.
My favourite museum of all time. Consider putting in 3-5 hours to visit the museum (minimum) if you are art lover. It’s a must-see if you would like to get to know the Dutch history, art and culture. Enjoy seeing Rembrandt, Vermeer, Jan Steen etc. The museum also has a restaurant inside of its walls so you can enjoy breakfast and lunch there. Make sure to reserve timeslot as it can be full from the noon onwards.
The museum is quite amazing and has plenty to see, however I did think that the staff was a little lacking as well as the information provided before and during our visit. We opted for the audio tour. When we picked up the audio recorders the instructions were very vague and so we struggled to get it to work for too long. Then mid-way through mine stopped working although my husband's continued to work. We were also told that it would take a couple of hours, but we were only a little more than halfway completed when that time was up, so we did not get to see much of the museum because it was closing. When I handed my headset in, I told them that mine did not work properly, and they agreed it stopped however they would not give me my funds back.
We visited here in June and were greatly impressed. We managed to book online the day before luckily, so would recommend you get tickets before hand. The museum was well run, lots of lockers which were free to use to drop off coats and bags. Toilets extremely clean, no queues but we visited early in the morning. So many interesting pieces of history. Ancient china sets, weapons, early boat designs, carving, paintings, furniture. They had good descriptions of everything. Three was no need to rush, you could take your time and go back to re visit rooms again if you wished. Massive building with parts having wonderful architecture . We saw a few Van Gough, Cézanne and Rembrandt paintings which were brilliant. The whole visit took about 3 hours but we could have easily gone back around as there was so much to see. There was a cafe, with lots of seating too. It was busy here when we left, as it was lunchtime, so we didn’t eat here. It was well worth the visit and would like to go back one day.
Visited the museum with as part of a tour group. The building is historic and it was fascinating to hear the history... the bicyles that drove through the historic gates just added a touch of Amsterdam to its appearance. The art work and the stories thereof takes one to the Dutch Golden Age. Fascinating to see how the Night Watch painting is being repaired. Highly recommend a visit.
I came to the Rijksmuseum specifically for Rembrandt, and I left completely satisfied. Seeing The Night Watch and The Jewish Bride in person was just brilliant! The Rembrandt Experience: The Night Watch is absolutely massive and breathtaking - no reproduction does it justice. How the shadows are depicted are just incredible. During the time of visit, the museum was performing a huge restoration of the piece, no worries you'll still be able to see it ! Practical Tips: I booked a guided tour through GetYourGuide and visited during the 11am time slot in June. This was perfect timing - the museum was much less crowded than I expected, making it easy to spend quality time with each painting without feeling rushed. I spent about 2.5 hours total, which gave me plenty of time to really absorb the Dutch masters collection. Overall: The museum is beautifully laid out and the collection goes far beyond just Rembrandt (though that's what drew me there). The building itself is gorgeous, and the way the artworks are displayed really lets you connect with the pieces. If you're an art lover, especially interested in Dutch Golden Age painting, this is an absolute must-visit. Book your tickets in advance and give yourself at least 2-3 hours if you want to truly appreciate what's there.
very enjoyable and informative couple of hours, not only paintings but interesting history too, learned lots I didn't know about the colonial past of the Netherlands
We booked tickets on a rainy day and are glad we went to this museum. It was fabulous to see so many beautiful pieces of art work and the restoration process going on with the Night Watch painting. Seeing the beautiful library was incredible. Remember to be quiet as you enter the area. The doll house collection is incredible with the details in each room. Highly recommend this museum if you get the chance. They have a nice gift shop in the museum area too.
We booked the private family tour, and Hugo was absolutely amazing with my kids (ages 10 and 8). It was fun and interactive. We all learned so much, and he kept my kids engaged for a solid 1.5 hours in the museum, which is no easy feat. If you have kids, I highly recommend booking the family tour through the museum (far far in advance). And of course, it is a lovely museum with fabulous art and history to learn!
It was incredible to see so many paintings by world's best painters. Nearly too much for one visit, have to go again! An experience that nobody should miss.
A very richly endowed museum with extraordinary collections spanning several centuries of the history of Amsterdam, the Netherlands and the former colonies. The building itself is superb. You will need at least half a day to appreciate the works on the museum's four levels. Visit at opening time to fully appreciate the paintings, sculptures and objects.
Great location and large number of famous paintings. Great way to spend an afternoon. Very busy but easy to get to by bus..
My mother & I love to travel but we are not keen on visiting museums. Netherlands has a lot of museums, so we decided to pick the ones we wanted to really see. Rijksmuseum was one that we got interested in after going through their website. We reached out to check if we could rent wheelchair & their response was no because wheelchairs are free to borrow! We thought we would spend about an hour or little over but we spent over three hours! There is so much to see. My mother loved the different tea/teapot collection, the ceramics, the locks & keys collection & I just loved how spacious it was. The staff are friendly & more than happy to guide you so you have the best time ever in a museum.
Fabulous building full of treasures. It was great to be able to see the Surhc master work up close and a particular highlight to see the restoration work in Rembrandts Night Watch. Also fascinating were the miniature doll houses and the replica sailing ship. Well worth a visit!
The architecture is impressive and building is huge. Lots of exhibits and a very large area to cover. We selected the 9 am 1st lot and arrived early and was first in queue. Signage was not very clear where the entrances are. It is at a passageway that runs through the building. There is more than 1 entrance there. It was good to appreciate the paintings and exhibits in the first hour but the place began to fill up with visitors quite fast. Honestly, the museum is extremely big and one can take hours to slowly cover all the exhibits, depending on one’s interest. Allocate more time if you enjoy checking out all the exhibits. Tickets can be booked from the museum’s own website or from third parties. Download the app for free commentary about every exhibit. Need to use ear phones.
This museum is so big and its collections are so diverse that they would probably benefit from being split. People who are interested in Rembrandt's painting do not necessarily want to know about eastern art and/or american photography (and vice versa). That said, all the works are so well classified that one doesn't need an audio guide (thus saving 6,50€). The biggest flaw of the main exhibition is how Rembrandt's masterpiece "The Night Watch" is exposed (i.e. behind a thick reflecting glass which prevents taking good pictures). Still a very good museum, mind you.
Yep back after 20 years. Utilised Amsterdam card. Long queues outside. The wait was worth it. The redevelopment of the museum "wow". Only critism is poor signposting to lifts. After traveling early from Liverpool ability to do stairs was limited. The restaurant especially the new cake celebrating 750th anniversary of Amsterdam beautiful. The gift shop very expensive is only real negative.
Wow...I wish I had more time. Allow a minimum of 2 hours...we stayed for 3 hours and saw about 70%. Staff were all very friendly and helpful. Get the app and bring earbuds for a free 'tour.' Select paintings will have a number that you key into your app to get a deeper dive into the art you are viewing. By no means am I an art connoisseur, but this was a great museum.
An absolute myriad of paintings dating back to the 17th century. We got in for free on the Go City pass. Surprised by the fact that it was possible to go right up to each painting and take pictures. It’s possible to spend hours there. There’s a nice cafe so you can take a break at any time. Also a nice garden outside and a fun fountain you can get into the middle of.
We loved our afternoon in this museum. I was not prepared for the sheer beauty of its paintings, Delft, doll houses and models! We certainly appreciate art but to think I could have missed this bothers me! There was a King’s Day crowd as we were there Friday before its official Saturday celebration and Amsterdam was crazy. Make sure this is on your list of must-do’s in Amsterdam. Lots of good help finding what we needed and kind people to help you!
Very impressive museum. Only drawback was a lack of signs indicating elevators and stairs. Large display of many great Dutch artists as well as ceramics, military guns, swords, ship models, etc.
The Rijksmuseum is an impressive and extensive museum with a lot to see. From Dutch Masters like Rembrandt and Vermeer to an array of historical artifacts and beautifully curated exhibitions, the collection is both rich and varied. It's very well organized and presented, making the visit enjoyable and informative. You should definitely plan ahead and reserve enough time to explore everything — there's so much to take in that a quick visit wouldn't do it justice. Overall, a fantastic experience and a must-see if you're in Amsterdam.
We spent 4 hours visiting the museum from the bottom to the top floor and had a breakfast break in the museum's coffee shop, which serves plenty of delicious options. The museum itself is quite impressive, and the artwork is mesmerizing. The best part is the mobile app, created by the museum, which gives you free audio and visual tour, helps you navigate this massive museum with ease and learn more about selected paintings through the audio stories narrated in the app. Mandatory to book tickets in advance, online, the entrance gets sold out easily if you don't reserve your slot. Fabulous experience, highly recommended!
Great art museum. Very large. Plan a lot of time to get through everything. Expect crowds. Lots of great painting from artists like Van Gough and Goya. Well worth seeing. Make reservations ahead of time.
Nice but way too much to see and when the tour groups turn up…..good luck. The app tour guide is good but not many options to hear
The museum came recommended to us and it was not hard to see why. We were not prepared for the size of it and the number of paintings by Dutch masters. Not being heavily into art, we chose to pay for the audio guides to add some flesh at what we were looking at, which was a good choice. The museum was very busy and given that the visit was in the week leading up to Kings day, we may well have to return so as to avoid the numbers of people but also allow much more time, as a few hours is just not enough to give the paintings the attention they deserve.
Lovely museum with variety of works by primarily Dutch artists. Can be tricky to navigate your way around. I do not understand why museums allow pictures to be taken of the art work. I am further perplexed that guests take selfies of art works. I was actually asked to move away from a painting I was studying so a person could take a selfie with it, and I lost it.
Rijksmuseum is located in a lovely building with easy access to the tram. It's a massive building with so many works of art including the Masters and Dutch history. We spent 6 hours there and couldn't possibly see everything. Save the cost of the audio guide and download the app - it's wonderful! Bring headphones/earbuds. From the app you are able to choose which works of art you want to see or simply follow the app for the 'highlights' tour... and that took us several hours. Get familiar with the app before going to the museum. Seating in galleries is available, but not always when you want it. Rembrandt's Night Watch painting is currently under restoration, but you are able to see it. The reproduction on the wall in the next room is easier to see. We did not take advantage of the cafe, but it was available. Entrance is via security checking bags. Book your tickets before you go to avoid disappointment. A few visitors were quite obnoxious literally walking right in front of us to get close up while we were viewing a painting from only a few steps away. We found some of the museum tour guides had little regard for visitors not in their tour group. They would go right up to paintings pointing out things to their group but being in the way of others just wanting to see a painting. Yes, it's a museum worth visiting - but expect crowds.
The collections in the museum were extremely impressive and extensive. Works of arts were from different eras. The Dolls houses and library were amazing. The delftware, William rex and Etienne-Maurice Falconet were some highlights in the museum also. Staffs were friendly and helpful. Definitely worth visiting at least 2 hours.
I can't get over my fantastic visit to the Rijksmuseum! I haven't been to the museum in over ten years, as I was living in the United States at the time. However, I have recently visited many museums in the US, France, the UK, Greece, Turkey, and Italy. The new redesign is so well thought out and visitor-friendly. If I can compare it to, say, the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles, which I visited the month before. Though their art is exceptional (for example, Leonardo Da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa'), the user experience is often poor. You feel crammed, overwhelmed, claustrophobic and simply unloved. But the Rijksmuseum is the exact opposite - you feel like they care about you. I never felt hemmed in; I could spend as much time as I wanted looking at even the great masterpieces (like Rembrandt's 'Night Watch' or Vermeer's 'Milkmaid'), and there were plenty of seats for when I felt tired. It's testament to how great the museum is that my usually heavily distracted ADHD son was able to enjoy this museum for almost three hours. I can't say how impressed I am with the Rijksmuseum, which I will definitely visit again the next time I'm in Amsterdam.
Visiting the Rijksmuseum was a fantastic experience. The ticket purchase process was smooth and hassle-free, making it easy to focus on the incredible art and history inside. Highly recommend!
The Rijksmuseum is an absolute gem in the heart of Amsterdam equal parts art gallery, time machine, and national treasure. From Rembrandt’s breathtaking Night Watch to Vermeer’s delicate Milkmaid, every room is packed with masterpieces that tell the story of the Netherlands’ rich artistic and cultural history. The building itself is a work of art. Towering arches, intricate ceilings, and wide-open galleries give each exhibit the space to shine. Walking through the museum feels like being swept through centuries from medieval armor to 20th-century modern design. The layout is intuitive, and the app helps guide you to key highlights if you’re short on time. One of the best surprises? The detailed exhibits beyond paintings furniture, fashion, Delftware, ship models, and more each beautifully displayed and offering insight into everyday Dutch life across time. The library room alone is worth a stop it’s a quiet, cathedral-like space for book lovers and historians. This museum is massive, so wear comfortable shoes and take your time. A café and gift shop near the exit round off the visit nicely, giving you a chance to unwind and pick up a little art-inspired souvenir.
The Rijksmuseum is definitely worth visiting. It has an impressive and extensive collection of art, and we truly enjoyed exploring it. Highly recommended for anyone interested in history, culture, or classic art. The entry process was super fast — we were inside within a minute, which made the experience even smoother. The only downside was the restaurant, which is extremely overpriced. Unless you’re prepared to pay a lot for a simple meal, it might be better to eat elsewhere. Overall, a fantastic cultural experience and a must-see if you’re traveling to Amsterdam.
Great organization of the museum makes for a great day exploring the exhibits. We took a snack break in the cafe so we could have time to see everything. Go early in the day to make sure you get a (free) locker
Very beautiful and well organized National Gallery. This is a must visit when in Amsterdam. Here you will see classics from the masters as well as a stunning collection of art and historical pieces.
We signed up for the hour guided tour in English. Our tour guide, Harpert, was great. He kept the tour moving and gave us background information on the museum, it's renovations, and selected art pieces, including The Night Watch. Harpert was a gem; we would sign up for any tour that he was giving. In addition to the pieces highlighted during the tour, we enjoyed exploring the entire collection on our own.
A great museum full of many different things to see an appreciate. The pictures are of course beautifully presented and well known, but dont miss looking for the Dolls house for example which is amazing.
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