Museums in the Netherlands

There are many art museums in the Netherlands for individuals interested in multiple kinds of art. One easy way to visit many museums is the Museumkaart, which gives individuals free entry into a lot of museums in different cities, which can be very convenient when traveling through the Netherlands. The Museumkaart provides access to more than 400 Museums in the Netherlands, is valid for one year, and costs €39.95 (€22.45 for people 24 years of age and under). It can be purchased in many different museums and at Leidseplein. If you are staying in the Netherlands for a significant amount of time and plan on visiting many museums, it may be beneficial to purchase the Museumkaart. Some of the most popular museums in the Netherlands can be found below.

Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum, which in English literally translates into the State Museum, is the general name for a national museum in Dutch. There are many Rijksmuseums in the Netherlands, but generally when the Rijksmuseum is mentioned, it refers to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam houses works by many artists, including Jacob van Ruysdael, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen, Rembrandt, and some of Rembrandt's pupils.

The Rijksmuseum Rembrandt collection includes the following works:

  • "The Night Watch"
  • "The Sampling Officials"
  • "The Jewish Bride"
  • "The Anatomical Lesson of Dr. Deyman"
  • "Peter Denying Christ"
  • "Saskia with a Veil"
  • "Portrait of Titus in a Monk Habit"
  • "Self Portrait as the Apostle Paul"
  • "Tobias, Anna and the Goat"

Rijksmuseum Schiphol

The Rijksmuseum has a permanent satellite exhibit called the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Schiphol, which is located in the Schipol Airport, behind the passport control between the E and F Pier. The airport museum is open from 7:00am to 8:00pm and houses a permanent exhibition of paintings taken from the Rijksmuseum. The permanent paintings at the Rijksmuseum Schiphol consist of paintings by Dutch masters of the Golden Age. The Rijksmuseum is interesting in that it is the first museum in the world to have an annex at an airport terminal. Admission to the Rijksmuseum Schiphol is free.

The Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum houses the largest collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh in the world. The Van Gogh Museum is a good site to visit if you wish to examine or compare Van Gogh’s work from different periods of his life. The Van Gogh Museum also houses an extensive collection of art on various subjects from the 19th century.

Museum Resources

There are many other museums in the Netherlands. The Dutch Art Map is a good resources for finding sites hosting contemporary visual arts in the Netherlands, and on the website Artcyclopedia individuals can find a comprehensive list of art museums in the Netherlands.

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