Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ national museum of art and history on Museumstraat, home to more than 8,000 works on display from the Dutch Golden Age and beyond — including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh — in a large, recently renovated building overlooking Museumplein.

• Standard dated admission ticket for one adult, valid for a specific start time and giving access to the Rijksmuseum's permanent collection and most temporary exhibitions for the rest of the day during opening hours.
• Entry to key highlights such as the Gallery of Honour with Rembrandt's “Night Watch”, Vermeer's works, Dutch Golden Age group portraits, 17th century ship models, decorative arts, Asian pavilion and 19th—20th century galleries.
• Free use of the Rijksmuseum App on your own smartphone, which offers multiple free audio tours, themed routes and a map that guides you from artwork to artwork via the museum’s Wi-Fi. (Bring wired or Bluetooth earphones for the best experience.)
• Access to on-site facilities including free lockers and cloakroom for bags and coats, toilets, lifts, museum shop and café; the shop and café are open slightly longer than the galleries and can be accessed without a ticket after 17:00.
• NOT included: separately sold guided tours, external combo tickets with canal cruises or other museums, transport to and from Museumplein, or any food, drink and souvenirs you purchase.

• Essential if you want a deep dive into Dutch Golden Age painting and other national masterpieces in one hit — this is the big “Rembrandt, Vermeer, Night Watch” stop.
• Great for adults and older teenagers who enjoy spending time in galleries; younger kids are welcome but will be happier with a shorter, highlight-focused route or dedicated family trails.
• Works both for casual visitors who just want the hits and for art fans who want several hours of slow looking with audio commentary and background context.
• Generally very accessible: the building has lifts, ramps and step-free routes between floors; wheelchairs and folding stools are usually available on request, and staff can help you find accessible paths.

• Before visiting, book a dated ticket and start time via the official Rijksmuseum website or app — every visitor, including those with museum passes, must have a booked start time except a small group of pass holders.
• On the day, arrive at Museumstraat 1 a little before your start time, have your ticket and start time scanned, and go through a quick security and bag check.
• Leave larger bags, backpacks and umbrellas in the free cloakroom or lockers (only small hand bags up to about A4 size are allowed in the galleries), then connect to Wi-Fi and open the free Rijksmuseum App if you want audio tours and routing.
• Head up to the main floors and follow either a highlights route or your own plan: most people focus first on the Gallery of Honour and the Night Watch, then branch out into other periods, decorative arts and special exhibitions.
• Take breaks as needed in seating areas or at the café, browse the museum shop for books and prints, then exit back onto Museumplein, where the Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum are only a short walk away.

• Tickets / price (starts from): the official price list currently sets adult admission at 25 EUR, with free entry for visitors aged 18 and under (they still need a booked start time ticket). Several passes (Friends of the Rijksmuseum, some city cards and museum cards) qualify for free entry; CJP and EYCA holders pay about 11.25 EUR. Treat 25 EUR as the realistic starting price for one adult visit.
• Start times: all visitors must book a start time in advance; this is the beginning of your visit. Once inside, you can stay as long as you like until closing time. A limited number of same-day tickets are sold at the entrance, but popular slots can sell out.
• Opening hours: the Rijksmuseum is currently open daily from 09:00 to 17:00, including public holidays. The shop and café usually remain open until 18:00, with access without a museum ticket after 17:00.
• Payments: the entire museum (tickets, shop, cafés) is cashless; you pay by debit/credit card or digital wallet only.
• Bags, food & photos: only small (hand) bags up to roughly A4 size may be taken into the galleries. Larger bags, backpacks and umbrellas must be left in the free cloakroom/lockers. Food and drink are not allowed in the exhibition spaces. Photography for private use is generally allowed without flash, tripods or selfie sticks, but always follow on-site signage and staff instructions.

• Location: the Rijksmuseum stands on Museumstraat 1, 1071 XX Amsterdam, at the edge of Museumplein in the city's museum district — a short tram or bike ride from the canal belt and about 20 minutes on foot from the centre.
• Getting there: common options are trams to Rijksmuseum / Museumplein / Van Baerlestraat, city buses that stop around Museumplein, or cycling and parking your bike in the designated racks nearby.
• Time needed: a typical visit takes 2—4 hours, depending on how much you read, how many audio stops you listen to and whether you visit a large temporary exhibition on top of the highlights.
• Best timing: early morning right at 09:00 or later in the afternoon after about 15:00 are often calmer; mid-morning and mid-day slots on weekends and holidays can be the busiest and sell out first.
• Planning tip: if you’re stacking big museums, it often works well to do the Rijksmuseum first (for focus and energy) and then choose either Van Gogh Museum or Stedelijk Museum later in the day, rather than trying to “do everything” in one go.

Budget about 25 EUR per adult and allow 2—4 hours for the Rijksmuseum — a big, busy national museum open daily from 09:00—17:00 where a timed, largely cashless visit takes you past Rembrandt, Vermeer and other Dutch masters, with a free app providing multiple audio tours and strict A4-size bag limits backed by free lockers and cloakroom.