Amsterdam is a city that’s home to nearly 100 museums covering everything from art, culture and history to canal houses, film, cats and sex work. To visit all of the museums in Amsterdam, you’d have to stay for several months. But with even just a day to spare, you can take yourself on an unforgettable museum crawl.
Three of Amsterdam’s top museums—the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the MoCo Museum—are within walking distance of one another in Museumplein, an area about 15 minutes away from Amsterdam Centraal by tram. Combine all three for a perfect day of museum hopping.
You can save money on admission by purchasing the I Amsterdam City Card, which will get you into each of these museums—and quite a few other places—for free. You will still need to reserve an entry time, and you’ll want to do that early. It’s not uncommon for tickets to the Van Gogh museum to sell out more than a week in advance.
Rijksmuseum
I’ve waited for years to step inside the Rijksmuseum. This Dutch national museum was under construction when I first visited Amsterdam in 2007 and stayed that way until 2013.
The renovation was worth the wait.
The Rijksmuseum is gorgeous—inside and out. This ornate museum includes more than 100,000 square feet of exhibition space over four floors. Its collection includes more than one million objects, about 8,000 of which may be on display at any given time.
5 Highlights of the Rijksmuseum:
- The Night Watch. Painted by Rembrandt van Rijn’s in 1642, this is one of the best-known pieces of the Dutch Golden Age, and it’s fresh off a major restoration.
- The Milkmaid, painted by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer in 1660, depicts a woman pouring milk and is the artist’s second best-known work. Vermeer also painted Girl with a Pearl Earring.
- The Rijksmuseum gardens. Its fountain is especially popular on sunny days.
- The Cuypers Library is the museum’s research library. It’s open to the public and houses the oldest and most extensive collection of art history books in the Netherlands.
- The passageway outside the museum isn’t home to any exhibits but it is part of the Rijksmuseum experience. This covered walkway just outside the museum is a favorite perch for street musicians.
Van Gogh Museum
You may see Van Gogh on display in other museums around the world, but you’ll have to head to Amsterdam to see the largest single collection of artist Vincent Van Gogh’s work. The Van Gogh museum is one of the most popular museums in the Netherlands and one of the most popular art museums in the world.
The Van Gogh Museum is home to more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and 750 written documents created by Van Gogh. It includes select pieces from peers including Paul Gauguin and Mary Cassatt. It’s also home to a research library for anyone looking to dig deep into the life and work of the legendary artist.
5 Highlights of the Van Gogh Museum
- Almond Blossom
- The Bedroom in Arles
- Sunflowers
- The Yellow House
- Wheatfield with Crows
Moco Museum
This independent museum, which also has an outpost in Barcelona, is proof that very good things can come in small packages.
Moco Museum is an ode to modern, contemporary, and street art that occupies a gorgeous historic villa and garden next door to the Van Gogh Museum. Its collection includes pieces from Banksy, Yoyoi Kusama, Andy Warhol, and more.
Expect thought-provoking art, visual experiential projects, and lots of red heart balloons.
It’s easy to get through the museum in an hour, but if you’re looking for more consider hopping on its eco-friendly boat for a canal tour.
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