First of all, if you appreciate museums at all, this is a must-see place in Amsterdam!!…read more Yesterday morning we lined up at about 8:50 before museum opening at 9. We had purchased tickets online ahead of time and figured the earlier the better. We spent 3.5 hours here and made sure to see every aspect, spending more or less time in exhibits depending on our interest. The gift shop is extensive and worth a look around as well. There's a restaurant and cafe as well which look great. Getting a map as you enter is helpful. The museum is subdivided by floor (0 through 3), and time period, with 1900-2000 on the top floor. There's a coat check if you wish on the 0 floor, alongside the bathrooms. May I mention that I love that most public bathrooms here are stalls with floor-to-ceiling doors?! The privacy is much nicer, and the doorknob indicates vacant/occupied so you don't have people looking at your feet to decide if it's empty. lol. We experienced the galleries basically in chronological order. The special collections are cool in that they are historical artifacts, lovingly preserved, such as old swords/guns, locks/keys, tea services, clothing and glassware, to name a few. My favorite artifact was a chessboard which had animal images subtly etched into the metal of each space. (See photo). We spent a good chunk of time in the 1300s galleries, where the sculptures, paintings, and artwork often depicted scenes from Jesus' life, Biblical stories, or morality themes. One sculpture was of the two thieves on Jesus' either side during the crucifixion, showing one of them with an angel above his shoulders because he was headed to heaven. The Great Hall in between the main wings of the museum is a gorgeous expansive space with high vaulted ceilings, and floor to ceiling stained glass windows along one wall, paying tribute to the great painters, philosophers, architects, and musicians of Europe. There's an entire room full of elaborate 5- foot tall dollhouses that women of high class households (in the 1650s) would spend time curating, collecting, and creating , as a pastime and perhaps to save their husbands' the expense of renovating their actual homes. They had area rugs, wallpaper, the works! The Rijksmuseum opened in 1885, and is a historical monument worthy of patronage. Highly recommend!!!

I'm lucky enough to live right by the Rijksmuseum, so I see it every day, and let me tell you--it…read morenever loses its magic. Whether you're here for the Dutch Masters or just the stunning architecture, it's a world-class experience. The Museumkaart is a must: If you're planning on visiting more than 3-4 museums in the NL, get the Museum Card. The cost savings are huge. Even with the card, you have to reserve your time slot online in advance. Don't show up hoping to wing it; the popular slots vanish fast. When you're exiting or walking through the tunnel that goes under the building, watch out for the bike path! It's a major, high-speed commuter route for locals. It's easy to get distracted by the beautiful arches, but those cyclists don't play. Look both ways before you step out! It's the crown jewel of the Museumplein for a reason. Don't miss it.

Included in the Zaanse Schans Card is entry to the Zaans Historical museum--they require you to put…read moreyour things in free lockers and hang your coats in free racks. You can get a free audio guide in your preferred language. From the museum to the biscuit/chocolate factory experience (a separate building connected by bridge) it takes about an hour. We enjoyed learning about all the different industries that have thrived in the Zaanse area. The interactive displays are interesting for families with children as well (especially ages 6 and up). You get a free biscuit sample--I tried coffee and my husband tried chocolate. The mechanized biscuit factory machinery display was impressive. I played the game at the end that tests whether you are good enough to be a Verkade girl--fast enough to pack at least 15 biscuit tins with 3 stacks of 3 biscuits, but only perfect ones, and as you fill each tin, the conveyor belt moves faster. It's a touchscreen and you move the biscuits with one finger. I tried just right handed or alternating right and left, but it's harder than it sounds. If you let too many good ones break by falling off the conveyor belt, game over. It was strangely gratifying. At the gift shop I bought some Verkade chocolates to bring back for coworkers. Fun museum overall!

Save your Euro,this is a Good location, good site.Surrounded by the most beatiful water,and…read moreWindmills, The cheese is great, the jams are great we tasted quite a bit.Unfortunately the other people in there, acted like they were having dinner and would not leave the lines. So unfortunately, the staff had to continue to tell people, to move on as they would sit there and try five pieces of cheese and literally walk in circles to basically eat everything in one sitting. The building is actually nice on the inside, but not really worth the cost of entry. We had a free entry due to tripadvisor credit. THANKS TripAdvisor !! That is the only reason I went other than that, I personally would have saved my euro €.. Zaans Museum

This museum contains a carefully curated chronicle of Vincent van Gogh's journey as a person and as…read morean artist. I echo other reviewers who recommend buying your tickets well in advance. The audio tour is well worth the money and enriches your museum experience. The entrances for the special exhibition and the permanent exhibition are separate. I chose to walk through the special exhibition first and then view the permanent collection. The special exhibition the day of my visit is on the color yellow. I visited the site in Arles, France, that inspired Van Gogh's "The Yellow House." It was a beautiful thing to see the painting after visiting the place where Van Gogh painted it. I was moved by Van Gogh's desire to connect with the "common folk" of his period. One may know his painting, "The Potato Eaters." It stands in a collection of other paintings depicting rural life in Van Gogh's day. I grew up immersed in agriculture and wisdom from farmers. They say you won't truly appreciate the food on your table until you meet those who work the soil to grow your food. It was a deeply moving experience. If you're a fan of Van Gogh, this museum is worth a visit. Also consider visiting Arles if your travels take you to the Rhone region of France.

We were super lucky to be able to buy two tickets for the Van Gogh Museum through Trip…read moreAdvisor/Viator. The only ones available were inclusive of the audio tour. We had waited to purchase the week before. Recommend buying tickets at least 6 weeks in advance if you want to be able to have your choice of tickets. Anyway, the line is quick to get in and then to go pick up your audio sets for your language of choice. They are basically phone-sized touchscreens and have different recorded narratives for certain rooms of the gallery as well as certain works of art. You can chose the 45-minute, 60-minute, or extended tour. There was also a temporary exhibit called Yellow about the way yellow is used in the world of art, including Van Gogh's Sunflowers. The Van Gogh Museum was founded by his nephew Vincent, son of his beloved brother Theo and his wife Jo. Throughout Vincent Van Gogh's adult life as he evolved as an artist, he kept in close communication with Theo via letters. The audio tour has 3 letters read aloud to you if you choose to listen, from Vincent to Theo, from Theo to Vincent, and from Jo to Vincent. It's touching to hear them because it shows that he was much loved. I enjoyed learning about Van Gogh's journey as a painter, his exploration of color and light, his use of painting to express emotion, his desire to empathize with the farmers and rural workers in his world. The museum does a lovely job of interspersing paintings and sculptures by other artists who either influenced or was influenced by Vincent. A painting I learned about for the first time was called Almond Blossom (1890) when Vincent heard the news he had a nephew, also named Vincent. It's beautiful and full of hope. Though I have had the honor of seeing some of Van Gogh's famous works at other museums all over, I felt especially happy to see them all together here yesterday, with a narrative that filled out the bigger story.

Had a great time walking around here for the day. Started the day by having Dutch pancakes at the…read morerestaurant then walked around looking at the windmills. Paid to go inside one of them just to get a better look. There were some steep ladders you have to climb to go up top and come back down. However it was insightful to see the interior part and how they work. There are many photo opportunities to take with the windmills, the lake with the homes, the wild ducks and at the shops. Check out the clog shop where you can see how they are made and even buy yourself a pair. We enjoyed walking through the cheese store because you can have samples however it was so busy and people were trying to cut the lines which was very aggravating and rude. It is very touristy and crowded.

So GLAD we came to this lovely place to spend the afternoon yesterday! Walking in nature and seeing…read morethe windmills up close in the marshy lands was refreshing. We bought our Zaanse Schans card online and selected the day of visit, then showed the QR codes from email to a docent at the Time Museum to trade in for physical tickets to use for entry into the chocolate and biscuit factory, the weaver's house, inside a windmill (you can enter two if you choose), and receive a discount at the Restaurant de Kraal. I learned a lot about cheese making and enjoyed tasting different unusual cheeses such as lavender, black garlic, beer, and asparagus. I bought two cheese wheels to take back to a friend and a family member after finding out they are shelf safe for up to a month unopened! We got to try a Verlode biscuit at the Biscuit and chocolate factory museum, and learned that the Verlode factory used to make collectible trading cards of Dutch nature pictures that were so popular that he employed 30 people just to answer fan mail and send those people their requested specific cards. That's so cool that early business/industry took a personal interest in their constituents needs and was not just a moneymaking venture. I also enjoyed seeing goats and waterbirds of all types roaming freely in the marsh lands. We've barely seen any animal life in Amsterdam (maybe a total of 20 dogs over the past 4.5 days), so it was refreshing! It's well worth a trip to see how windmills work and to check out the various museums and to just take in the natural beauty! Highly recommend!

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.

I'm not typically an art fan but as it houses some very famous paintings I decided it was a must…read moresee! It's well laid out and easy to move around even when it's busy. I recommend going when they open to avoid any crowds around the girl with the pearl earring. It was amazing to see The Bull in person. I never realised the scale of the paining but it's fast and incredible to see in person. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff and a fun gift shop if you're into trinkets and educational books. Well worth a visit, even if you're not a museum/art person.

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.

The Boijmans is the main art museum in Rotterdam. It opened in 1847, originally with the collection…read moreof Frans Jacob Otto Boijmans. Since then, it has grown and now contains some of the preeminent works of art. Not just Dutch artists, the collection includes Rembrant, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, René Magritte and Salvador Dalí. And those are just the more famous. There are Rubens and Bosch and many more! A friend of mine had visited a few months ago and found the Rembrant/Dali wing was closed. That wing was open this time, but the Kandinsky wing was closed. I'm a big fan of Kandinsky and I have a few posters of his work and his contemporaries. I was bummed. Even bummed, I still enjoyed the Bruegel "Tower of Babel", one of the most famous paintings in Rotterdam. And the Rodin sculptures. Amazing artworks! The museum wasn't particularly crowded on this weekday and they had no issue with photographs, as long as the flash was disabled. An audio tour is available, which I strongly recommend. Note: The museum is a member of the Museumkaart system, so if you're planning on visiting more than three or four museums in the Netherlands, get the card!

A must to visit!! Tickets are VERY HARD and limited!!! So - order months in advance or they will be…read moresold out!!!! Amazing story of faith!!

"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This…read moreI declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him." Psalms 91:1-2 Corrie ten Boom and her family believed that God was their refuge and their faith propelled them to shield those facing Nazi persecution during World War II. They risked their lives to hide Jews, students refusing to cooperate with their oppressors, and members of the Dutch underground resistance movement. It is estimated that 200-300 people sought refuge under their roof. As described in Corrie's book "The Hiding Place", the ten Boom family built a false wall in her bedroom that created an approximately 3 by 8 foot secret room where those being hunted could hide during a Gestapo raid. On February 28, 1944, four Jews and two members of the Resistance hid there for two and half days without food or water. All of them avoided detection, but six members of Corrie's family were arrested and sent to prison. Although Corrie was sentenced to the Ravensbruck concentration camp, she was inexplicably released nearly a year later. Following the end of the war, Corrie visited 64 countries, over the course of 32 years, spreading the message of God's love and proclaiming that Jesus Christ is victorious over all and everything, even the misery of a concentration camp. Reservations are required, admission is free, no photography inside the home is permitted, and navigating a narrow series of stairs is required. Part presentation of the ten Boom home and part presentation of the Gospel message, the orientation takes place in the living room that hosted a Bible Study for 100 years until the family was arrested in 1944. During our visit an interesting group dynamic emerged. Near the end of the tour someone felt inspired to publicly tell a German tour member that she was accepted and that the group did not view her as being a Nazi. It was a disarming extension of grace that seemed in total concert with the message that Corrie exemplified. And that's...Henry's Take. #corrietenboom #grace #faith #refuge

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.

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.

Lucky for us this museum was also opened on Monday. There's lot to see here. It's the first and…read moreoldest museum in the Netherlands. It's a museum of scientific data, manuscripts, fossils, minerals as well the home that the Museum was named after. We just meandered on our own there wasn't an official tour guide but there was lots to see. The museum is a homage to Pieter Teyler van der Hulst, who was a wealthy cloth merchant and banker of Scottish descent, who bequeathed his fortune for the advancement of religion, art, and science. It was the center for enlightenment study and education.

Very interesting and a multitude of displays, vintage instruments, paintings, coinage/medallions…read moreand many, many fossils and minerals. One could spend a whole day perusing the various collections.. Audio assist personalized speakers available in multi languages. Also has a nice, quiet inner courtyard with a small lunch menu available, very tasty sandwiches and more..

Not a traditional "museum" by any stretch, but with Amsterdam being the city boasting the world's…read moremost museums, I can see how the claim is made with places like this. It's a really nice spot, and the guy who runs it is extremely open and friendly with a wealth of information. He truly lives for this! If you arrive before it opens, you'll see people gathered around the door entrance, and you're there wondering what kind of place this really is. Doesn't look big from the outside at all, and looks like a shop more than a museum. Once you get inside the small space, you're greeted with black lighting above which illuminates all of the fluorescent artwork. There are paintings and sculptures with bright colors across the spectrum. Then you walk down these steps into the dark basement and see his special rock collection with the makeup of the rocks highlighted under the black lighting. Reminded me of geology class. Cool place, quick 30 minute experience.

Fluorescence is LIFE…read more Me and my wife did this tour in March 2018. This museum opened my eyes to another world of Fluorescence. Fluorescence is pretty much a living organism. It takes energy, consumes it, produces the brightest colors you would ever see. The vibes in this place are exceptional. The location is very close to the Ann Frank Museum. Its just 5 Euros & they let you use a really trippy bathroom for free. The couple who are the owner are in their 70s but their energy and will to give back to the world, still keeps them coming back to the museum everyday. They do this without the help of a young person or receptionist to handle your reservations. Remember that before, giving a bad review and saying they cancelled your reservation. We did not have reservation but they let us in, because they could. I would advise to call them in advance, they are doing their best in their capacity to handle the online reservations. They not only let us in, but allowed us to stay for as long as we want, despite of the small space and huge crowd. Nik explained in detail, about the physics behind this & inspired me for the rest of the life to explore this amazing world. I have bought a black light even. The pigment he uses, makes his paint way more brighter than you would find anywhere else. Some of the artifacts on the first floor are for sale as well, and can spin your head around. We bought what we could. I forgot my wallet and the lady was kind enough to keep it open extra time, so i could pick it. Although the museum closes at 7 but if you are interested Nik can talk to you the whole day about it.