The Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is a world-famous national museum devoted to the art and culture of the Netherlands, and covering over 800 years of Dutch history. Over 8000 objects are on display in the museum, with more than 2000 paintings from the Dutch Golden Age, with works from famed Dutch masters such as Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt van Rijn, and Jan Steen. The museum is one of the most popular attractions in Amsterdam, receiving over two million visitors annually.

On our only full day in Amsterdam, we decided to visit the Rijksmuseum to get some culture and appreciate Dutch art and history. We took the InterCity train from The Hague to Amsterdam Central, and headed to brunch at Dignita. I had missed my Benny Boy, a vegetarian eggs Benedict on hash browns that I tried on our visit last year, so I was happy to be able to indulge in those again. After our relaxed brunch, we still had some time, so we did a bit of shopping before walking to the museum.

We had purchased our tickets online and had an 13:30 timed entry. Though the museum was pretty busy on a July afternoon, checking in relatively quick and easy. We had to leave our purses and backpacks with the coat check, keeping only one of our water bottles and our phones with us. From there, we were able to explore the museum.

We started on the ground floor and walked through the rooms containing a number of historic objects. There were a number of everyday items that could be found in the homes of the Dutch middle and upper classes, such as fancy dishes, jewelry, and musical instruments. Some of the curios had been recovered in several East India Company (Vereinigte Oostindische Compagnie- VOC) shipwrecks.

We climbed up to the first floor and meandered to view paintings and a large collection of silver ware from between 1700 and 1800. We also took photos of the Haarlem Period Room, a reception room that was furnished for Willem Philip Kops, an art collector and merchant.

On the second floor, we came to one of the highlights of the visit, the famed Gallery of Honour. The gallery is a large room, with walls intricately decorated with the crests of the Dutch provinces and their capitals, and high domed ceilings, reminiscent of a church nave. The paintings a the top of the walls are scenes from Dutch history that epitomize patriotic values such as Charity and Self-sacrifice. In the alcoves, we gazed upon the works of the Dutch masters: Vermeer, Rembrandt, Leyster. Some of my favorites are shown below. Apparently, I have developed an affinity for Vermeer. I noticed that the color scheme in his ‘Milkmaid’ has some similarity to ‘The Girl with the Pearl Earring,’ which we saw at Mauritshuis last year.

We also were able to see the work being done on what is arguably Rembrandt’s most famous painting, ‘The Night Watch of 1642.’ The painting was commissioned for one of the three headquarters of the civic guard of Amsterdam. This is Rembrandt’s largest painting and employs a technique called tenebrism, which uses light and dark to focus in on particular details. Operation Night Watch is being done in an enclosed area in view of the public. At time of writing, art restorers are working diligently with microscopic precision to remove the old varnish in order to preserve the painting for future generations to appreciate. According to the Rijksmuseum site, the research going into the project has spanned over the past five years, utilizing digital imaging, materials science, AI, and other advanced research techniques. Over the next two years or so, the old varnish will be painstakingly removed, and new varnish will be applied. We shall have to return in 2027 to see the finished results.

After watching the work on Operation Night Watch, we walked to the end of the hall to head back downstairs. The stained glass windows at the end of the hall were stunning. I am not a glass expert, and I don’t know if there is any meaning or symbolism behind these particular designs, though some of the inlays look like crests. I just appreciated them for their beauty.

We walked through a gallery that was dedicated to the Netherlands military history. Several paintings depicted battles, including the Battle of Waterloo. There were also models of ships.

While I appreciated the art and the history, I think the highlight of the visit was the Cuypers Library. Located on the first floor, the library is the oldest library of art history in the Netherlands. It is open to visitors, researchers, and students who want to learn more about the historical significance of the pieces in the Rijksmuesum collections.

After peeking into the library, we began our trek down to the gift shop. After a couple hours, we were getting rather hungry. There was still more to see; we made it only through about half of the museum, but it was time to go. There were a few other nature-themed paintings by Melchior d’Hondecoeter that caught my interest as we started heading out.

Eventually we made it back down and picked up our bags from the coat check. We stopped in the gift shop to pick up crocheted ‘Milkmaid’ Miffy keychains and a few other souvenirs for family back home. There the girls happened to see their fifth grade teacher, who was traveling across Europe with his family. While the Rijksmuseum is indeed a popular attraction, Amsterdam is huge, so I was surprised to see friends from back home.

Our visit to the Rijksmuseum was a fun adventure in art. I appreciated Emily’s guiding us through parts of the museum, especially taking us to see the library. I don’t think we would have found that gem on our own.

Some things to consider:

The tickets were 25 euro for each adult aged 19 and up. Sami was free, as was Emily, who has a Netherlands museum card, which covers entry to over 500 museums across the Netherlands.

I would recommend at least two hours to see the museum, though an avid art lover could easily spend much more time. The museum was rather busy with an afternoon entry, but it was still fairly easy to get around. The only area where I had to wait to take photos was the Gallery of Honour, which was very popular.

As one of the most popular art museums across the globe, the Rijksmuseum is definitely worth visiting when in Amsterdam. There is so much to learn about Dutch history and culture, as well as enjoy some priceless art. After all, it is an adventure meant to be shared- across time and generations. Proost!