A well laid out museum with a large collection of masterpieces from artists like Rembrandt, Vermeer…read moreand Ruebens. The famous Girl with the Pearl Earring is captivating but there are many others worth viewing. Check out the lower level and its presentation about how the museum dealt with occupation during WWII.

Walking in, the museum immediately feels calm and intimate. The galleries are beautifully arranged,…read moreand the scale works perfectly -- spacious enough to move comfortably, but small enough that you're always aware of how close you are to the art and the people around you. It's the kind of place where you don't want to be that person blocking a painting, and the layout naturally encourages everyone to share the space respectfully. There's a complimentary coat and bag check, and it's absolutely worth using. Being able to wander without a backpack or jacket makes the whole visit feel lighter and lets you focus entirely on the works in front of you. The collection itself is exceptional -- beautifully curated, full of pieces that genuinely deserve the attention they get. But then you hit the large Stephan Vanfleteren photographs scattered throughout the rooms, and the tone shifts hard. These oversized portraits have the dull, overprocessed look of something you could snap on a smartphone that's been dropped repeatedly and still somehow limps along. They feel completely disconnected from the surrounding masterpieces, like filler chosen because a wall needed something on it. The contrast is so jarring that it pulls you out of the experience, and after a few rooms, it starts to feel less like an artistic choice and more like an intrusion. It's baffling that a museum with such a refined collection would wedge in work that looks this flat, this mismatched, and this unworthy of the space it occupies. By the time you finish, the memory of the classical works is still there, but so is the irritation -- those photographs linger in the worst way, leaving the overall experience feeling uneven and not nearly as polished as it should be.

Van Gogh was sold out, chose this instead.... And it was awesome! . However, this museum can sell…read moreout too! Really enjoyed the afternoon we spent in this museum. My favorite was the "Nightwatch" exhibit, but there was so much more to enjoy I loved that the more famous works of art had laminated cards (in multiple languages) that explained the exhibit and told you the history and interests about the work. The building is a little tough to navigate, but we figured it out. Amsterdam is full of museums, this is one you shouldn't miss. Lots to do outside too.

One of the must see museums when visiting Amsterdam…read more We also enjoyed taking a break at the cafe located inside the Rijksmuseum.

Now I just feel like I am giving away secrets! I love De Boom and the great selection of drafts…read morethey have available. Staples such as Palm and De Konnick sit along with higher alc% bottles and on my last visit a draft beer from Flying Dog Beer from Maine, USA!! The inside of the bar is the perfect combo of people and darkness to provide a relaxing evening of conversation as you mull over your beer selection. In the summer outside seating is available along the canal and around corner from the cheese market. For my fellow American travelers bring Euros as no credit cards (only European debit cards) are accepted. Good luck and if Rick is tending bar you are in for an even better time!

Fantastic museum for any one who appreciates interesting art or is an Escher lover. The museum has…read morea QR code that you can scan which provides a free overview of the most popular prints. You can read or listen to the guide. This was very helpful in getting the background story on the art and covers the top 12. There are 2 floors of prints from Escher and artists who were inspired by him. No parking.

Loved this museum. It's a small museum but very interesting. It captures storytelling of Escher's…read morelife and how it is portrayed in his art. Loved how the rooms are laid out for this purpose as well. Good labeling on the pieces and useful to have the free audio tour accessible via phone.

I was all museum'd on my Eurotrip, so Boijmans Van Beuningen was the only one I visited while I was…read morein Rotterdam. Fortunately for me, the place was under renovation so it was half price to enter (€7.50 instead of €15). Unfortunately for me, there was still a TON to see. I think most other people would consider that second one a pro instead of a con. Anyway, in case you can't tell, I'm not much of a museum person. So I like modern art and crazy displays. BVB had both in spades. At the front, there are a ton of surrealist paintings and sculptures, including some from Salvador Dali and Magritte. There's also some Mondrion's sprinkled throughout. In the middle is The Collection as Time Machine, which is basically just a lot of paintings arranged by century, curated to tell how European art themes/techniques changed and morphed over time. The layout of those rooms is a little weird, as you can cut through multiple ways. Easy to skip if it's not your thing. Then when you go downstairs, there's a ton of modern art including what this place is probably most known for - some creepy dude coming up through the floor. And also a creepy boy sitting in the corner that scared the crap out of me when I walked into the room. Further down, there was a cool exhibit about discontinued electronics and furniture design. That's the kind of random shit I liked to look at in museums. There was also a "Bling" exhibit which was all sorts of shiny things, some artifacts, some random and modern. Wasn't sure what to make of that. All in all, I spent probably two and a half hours there (which was an hour longer than I thought I needed). If the entire place is open, you could definitely spend upwards of three hours. Definitely check it out!

A very unique experience, though a bit pricey at around $24 USD (€20-22). It's important to know…read morethat this isn't a traditional museum; it's a high-tech art storage center that happens to be open to the public. The focus is really on the "behind-the-scenes" of art preservation--how pieces are crated, cleaned, and stored in climate-controlled rooms. The building itself is a masterpiece. It spans several floors, and while the individual sections feel small, the central atrium with its zig-zagging staircases is massive. There's an elevator if you want to skip the stairs! They offer free 10-minute "walk-in" tours of the storage compartments, plus more detailed "behind-the-scenes" tours that are worth the extra look. The top floor has a great cafe/restaurant (Renilde) and an outdoor space with a forest of birch trees. The 360-degree view of Rotterdam is breathtaking. If you love architecture or are curious about how museums actually work, it's worth the price. If you just want to see a standard art gallery, you might find it a bit expensive.

Excellent museum on art and history of Alkmaar. The interactive basement presentation on Alkmaar's…read moresiege by the Spanish in the sixteenth century is not to be missed!

Ecomare is an aquarium on the island of Texel in the Wadden Sea. I was pleasantly surprised by the…read moreinteractiveness of the aquarium. I thought all areas to be beautifully done and cleverly made. The children loved it and could have spend another hour just revisiting their favorites. Helpful tip: The preference is for the visitors to purchase tickets online. Listen to this advice as tickets are limited due to Covid restrictions.

Highly recommendable if you like to learn more about Tessels wildlife and nature…read more Fair entrance fee, good value for money.

An immersive, emotional journey--even for non-museum-goers!…read more My friends and I visited the Van Gogh Museum and truly loved it. If you aren't normally a big museum person, this place is still an absolute must-visit. The entire experience is exceptionally well done, taking you seamlessly through the chronological timeline of his life and artistic evolution. I highly recommend using the provided audio guide and choosing the tour style that fits your interests. The device guides you effortlessly and allows you to explore the different exhibits at your own pace with complete independence. Because the tour is driven by such a compelling narrative and story, you end up building a genuine emotional connection to Van Gogh and gaining a deep understanding of his work. Highlights: * Engaging Narrative: The storytelling brings his life and art to life, making it accessible and moving for everyone. * Great Audio Tour: The independent listening device lets you move through the galleries at your own speed while staying fully immersed. * Chronological Flow: Moving through the timeline of his art helps you truly appreciate his growth and struggles as an artist.

TIP - order tickets ahead in time online to make sure you can get in on the day/time you want…read more A beautiful looking museum. Lots of Van Gogh art works to view and take in. Self guided tour comes with a player with headphones to that you can learn about the different Van Gogh art periods and works of art. Overall the museum was okay. You see a lot of Van Gogh art but not much about his life and world around him. I preferred the Rembrandt House as it showed his home and living arrangements - it gave you glimpse of his life at that time. I think the Rijks Museum would be a better choice to see a variety of artists.