Don’t miss out on the opportunity to visit this museum before the 2009 while it is undergoing the biggest rebuilding, renovation, and modernization program in its history. You may want to ask me, why to hurry here at the time when many masterpieces are stored out of sight. The answer is very simple. There are many great must see museums in Amsterdam and many of them display great must see paintings. Unless you have a special interest in the 17th century masters, you should get more than satisfied with over 400 painting by such a famous painters as Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Vermeer, or Rembrandt that are on display in the Philips Wing during the restoration. Believe me you will see the best and a lot more, 400 paintings is still a lot. The museum also has a collection of wooden and ceramic art that contains some real jewelry.

The 17th century represents Dutch Golden Age, the collection you can admire here is very impressive and so is the way it has been gathered. From the late 16th century, the Netherlands was a republic and therefore there was no royal house that amassed an international collection, such as in Spain (Philips II) or Russia (Catharine the Great) The Rijksmuseum collection is based on private collections of Art buyers; citizens who made purchases mostly in their home country, and not so much abroad.

Museum is kids friendly. Children can take part in museum searches and there is also a Sesame Street audio tour for pre-school children.

At the moment there is no place for refreshments but you can walk to a Café Cobra where you will receive a 15% discount on any item on the menu by showing your Rijksmuseum ticket.

If you are less then 18 years old, you can get in for free, otherwise you will pay €10. Some discounts are applicable and all tickets can be purchased in advance on the Internet. 

The Rijksmuseum is open every day from 9am to 6pm, on Fridays also from 6pm to 10pm. Closed 1 January. The museum ticket counter closes 30 minutes before the closing time.

With major renovation taking place at the moment (July 2006) and continuing until 2008 the main museum building is closed, however, a special exhibition entitled Masterpieces is on display in the Philips Wing.

This exhibition (containing over 400 exhibits, a fair amount for a lot of museums but hardly a scratch on the surface for the hundreds of thousands the Rijksmuseum contains) concentrates on the Golden Age of Dutch art -the 17th Century.

Exhibits include the amazingly detailed Dolls House, owned and commissioned by Petronella Oortman, which as well as representing a wonderful feat of artistry it is also a great historical record of life in a Dutch canal side house. There are pictures and artefacts illustrating Amsterdam and The Netherland's standing as a world trading power (a very good accompaniment to many of the exhibits in the Amsterdam Historisch Museum) and paintings by Frans Hals, Vermeer, and, of course, Rembrandt, including the magnificent "Night Watch".

Despite the fact that the galleries can get very busy, particularly at the weekend and around some of the more well know paintings, it is still wonderful.

The website, www.rijksmuseum.nl, is a fantastic site and well worth a look.

Opening Times: 9am-6pm daily.

Partially closed down for renovations until 2009, Rijksmuseum still offers one of the best displays of art I have seen thus far. In addition to a variety of other artists, the museum houses works by great 17th century Dutch masters, Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Vermeer, and Rembrandt. I highly recommend the audio tour. For a couple of euros it is very enlightening and and illuminates the painting's history and nuances.

The museum itself is also a work of art. The architectural details, inside and out, are as equally impressive as the collection of masterpieces within.

Admission costs: 10 euro

The Rijksmuseum is open every day from 9am to 6pm, Fridays from 6pm to 10pm. Closed Jan.1

For more info, visit their website: http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/index.jsp

Rijksmuseum
Daily 9:00-6:00 pm (10:00 pm Friday)
Admission: 10,00 euros (18 and under free; no student discount)

The Rijksmuseum is what I remember best about my first visit to Amsterdam 7 years ago. It was the first art museum I had ever been to, so it holds a special place in my heart. And, upon my return trip last week, I found it to be well worth my high opinion.

Captions are in Dutch and English, and they are, for the most part, quite thorough--you manage to get quite a history lesson as well as an art fix.

The Rijksmuseum proudly displays Holland's own--works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Steen. You won't want to miss the "Nightwatch", which may be Rembrandt's most famous work. Even though the museum is currently under construction and many of the works aren't on display, the "Nightwatch" has its own room, complete with a strange little light show that's rather enjoyable.

In addition to painting, you'll also find a collection of Delft pottery and a giant ship, among other stuff.

Make the Rijksmuseum your first stop on your Amsterdam museum list.

The Rijksmuseum is the largest and possibly most famous museum of art in the Netherlands. The beautifully constructed museum was designed by famed architect Pierre Cuypers. The ornate edifices stand tall above the other buildings on the Museumsplein and are a sight to behold by themselves.

Unfortunately for those that are planning their trip to Amsterdam in the very-near-future, the Rijksmuseum is undergoing a major restoration project. The work is expected to be completed by the end of 2008. During this time of construction, the main buildings of the Museum are closed to the public. Luckily however, many of the museum's finest works have been moved to a temporary viewing area in the newly renovated Philips Wing.

The Rijksmuseum's collections are publicly owned by the city of Amsterdam. The many year's of art history that this city has been a part of have lead to an extensive portfolio of great artists. Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Jan Steen, and Vermeer all have paintings featured in this location. The concentration of the permanent exhibition is from the 17th century, but the Rijks has works spanning from the 15th to 19th century as well. Large collections of Delftware and Silver are housed in the museum as well.

The most famous of all the works at the Rijksmuseum is the "Night Watch" by Rembrandt. It is a beautifully detailed battle scene that was at the time a commissioned group portrait. I personally am not a big Rembrandt fan, but this painting is very impressive in size and intricacy.

Perhaps my favorite painting in the Rijksmuseum is "The Cafe Terrace on the Place du Forum at Night" by Van Gogh. I love the beautiful contrast of the bright yellow cafe on the dark blue background and the use of post-impressionism techniques.

The Rijksmuseum has many famous works by Vermeer such as "The Love Letter," but it does not have "The Girl with a Pearl Earring," which is often asked about by tourists.

The Rijksmuseum is lovely as-is and will be absolutely splendid when they finish the construction project. I can't wait to visit again after 2008.