The Rijksmuseum is one of the most famous museums in the Netherlands, and also its largest. It is a place almost every tourist makes a point to visit after the Van Gogh Museum, so that they get to check out the impressive collections by multiple master painters including Rembrandt van Rijn, Frans Hals,Johannes Vermeer, and of course, Vincent Van Gogh. This institution underwent a renovation project which lasted 10 years, until it was reinaugurated by the former Queen Beatrix in 2013.
The building is one of the four main attractions on the Museumplein, the famous square which also holds the Van Gogh and Stedelijk museums, as well as Royal Concertgebouw on it. If you visit the Van Gogh Museum and have the time to spare, the Rijksmuseum definitely warrants visiting. The current building was designed by architect Pierre Cuypers, and first opened in 1885. Renovation done recently was along much the same lines as those at the Louvre and Tate Modern in Paris and London, respectively, in that it combined old-world architecture with a modern aesthetic feel. The atrium, for instance, is spacious and glass-ceilinged on a high level, but the walls are red brick, which facilitates a contemporary look.
The collections here number over 1 million pieces, with around 80,000 of them paintings, historical artifacts, and sculptures which have been on display for over eight centuries. Of the most notable works people come here to see, none are as iconic as The Milkmaid (1647) and The Night Watch (1642), two world-renowned paintings by Vermeer and Rembrandt, respectively.
As far as must-see attractions in Amsterdam go, you really need to have visited the Rijksmuseum to make it count as a decent trip. We can help you with the practical side of it, which includes booking tickets, finding comfortable commute to and fro, focusing on the most influential artworks, etc. We even have lists of the best places for you to eat, shop, and drink afterwards, because your Amsterdam experience should be more than just sampling art. This city has plenty of things you can do to get a feel of its lively bustle, and we can help you choose the ones that best suit you, no matter what your preferences may be.