KittyWith over 2 million visitors a year, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is the most visited museum in the Netherlands. This world-famous museum displays 800 years of Dutch history and hosts a remarkable art collection.
Below you’ll find information on the Rijksmuseum, opening hours, address, tickets and more.
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Things to See in Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum features over 1,000,000 objects dating back to the years 1200 til 2000. About 8,000 of these are art objects, which makes the Rijksmuseum the largest art museum in the Netherlands.
The Night Watch
The most famous artefact displayed in the museum is The Night Watch (Dutch: De Nachtwacht). This painting is the best-known masterpiece created by Rembrandt van Rijn, a world-famous Dutch artist from the Dutch Golden Age (17th century). The painting is famous for its huge size, dramatic contrasts of light and shadow and the motion.
The Milkmaid
Another hugely popular painting displayed at Rijksmuseum is the Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer, another Dutch artist from the 17th century. It’s famous for its intensive, saturated colors in the dress of the maid.
Dolls’ Houses
The Rijksmuseum features three dolls’ houses which incorporate home accessories such as silver and chinaware, furnishings and glass from the 17th century. The dolls’ houses give you a good impression of what was considered luxurious by the people living in that time.
Library
The Rijksmuseum is much more than just paintings. The Cuypers Library at the museum is a must-see for booklovers. It represents the oldest and largest collection of art history works of the country. The books at the library aren’t just artefacts, you’re allowed to read them.
Gardens
Done exploring the inside of the museum? Make sure to head to the gardens (Rijksmuseumtuinen), which are a part of the museum. The garden at Rijksmuseum are beautifully decorated with fountains, flowers and countless sculptures designed in the early 20th century.
Opening Hours
Rijksmuseum is open every day from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. The museum is open all year round, including national holidays such as Christmas.
Rijksmuseum Tickets
Tickets for Rijksmuseum can be purchased online or on site. Online tickets are €21.00. People ages 18 and under have free entrance.
Our tip: If you’re planning to visit multiple museums in Amsterdam, it makes sense to purchase the I amsterdam City Card. It costs €65.00 and gives you free entry to over 20 museums in and around Amsterdam as well as free use of the GVB public transport in Amsterdam.
How to Get There
The Rijksmuseum is located in the Museumkwartier district in Amsterdam. It’s one of the main buildings at Museumplein, the large square with the famous iAmsterdam sign. Rijksmuseum is geographically located between the vibrant city center of Amsterdam and the Vondelpark. It’s close to other famous attractions such as the Van Gogh Museum, Heineken Experience and Moco Museum Amsterdam.
Our tip: The best way to get to Rijksmuseum is walking, cycling or by public transport.
Walking
Rijksmuseum can be conveniently reached by foot. It’s about 30 minutes walk from the central station (Amsterdam Centraal). If you’d like to combine a visit to the museum with other attractions in Amsterdam, you could walk from the train station through the city towards the flower market (Bloemenmarkt). From there, you’ll cross a few beautiful canals to get to Rijksmuseum.
Cycling
If you’d like to explore Amsterdam the Dutch way, we definitely recommend that you rent a bike! Especially if you just stay for a day or two, renting a bike will allow you to explore much more sights in Amsterdam compared to walking. The cycle network in Amsterdam is fantastic and cycling is safe and fast. By bike, it will take you around 10 minutes to go from the city center to Rijksmuseum.
Public Transport
If you rely on public transport, you’ll find several bus stops (Spiegelgracht and Ruysdaelkade) right in front of the museum. There’s also a tram stop (Rijksmuseum) and a metro station closeby (Vijzelgracht).
Car
We don’t recommend driving in Amsterdam if you’d like to see various sights in one day. Driving in Amsterdam can take more time than cycling because traffic is usually heavier compared to other cities. Furthermore, it can be tricky and costy to find parking in the capital. However, if you’d like to take your car, the cheapest option is to park in a car park. Parking on the street is more expensive and finding a space can be difficult too. The nearest parking garages are the Q-Park Museumplein and the APCOA Parking Prins & Keizer.
Hotels near Rijksmuseum
The following hotels are in walking distance to the Rijksmuseum and the Vondelpark.
FAQ on Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam
What is in the Rijksmuseum?
The Rijksmuseum is the Netherlands’ largest art museum. It has over 8,000 paintings, one of which is the world-famous Night Watch from Rembrandt. In addition to paintings, you’ll find countless objects dating back to the past centuries, an ancient library and some beautiful gardens on the exterior.
How much time to spend in Rijksmuseum?
Rijksmuseum itself recommends at least 5 hours to explore the museum. If you’d like to explore everything in detail, you might even have to come back multiple times. Personally, we recommend 2-4 hours to visit Rijksmuseum. This is enough to see the most famous paintings, the library and dolls’ houses, and take a quick tour to the gardens.
Where is the entrance to the Rijksmuseum?
The Rijksmuseum has two entrances. Both of them are located in the passage, below the round arches below the building. You’ll find the passage at the northern end of the square (Museumplein).
Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum?
If you have a limited amount of time to spend in Amsterdam and have to choose between the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, we recommend the Rijksmuseum.
Are dogs allowed at Rijksmuseum?
No, pets aren’t allowed at Rijksmuseum. An exception are guide dogs.
Are there lockers at the museum?
Yes, there are a few lockers at the museum where you can store luggage.
