The Rijksmuseum is one of Amsterdam's must-visit attractions and is absolutely worth spending a…read morecouple of hours exploring. Its impressive collection of Dutch masterpieces and historical artifacts makes for a fascinating visit. The museum is spacious and well laid out, making it easy to enjoy the exhibits without feeling crowded. The on-site café is a great addition, offering a perfect place to relax and recharge before or after your visit. If you're visiting Amsterdam, be sure to set aside at least two hours for the Rijksmuseum--you won't be disappointed.

I am so bummed!! After being there for 5 hours, I still failed to make it to the 1700-1800 and the…read more2000s zones!! This place is HUGE! I now understand why tourists would plan an entire day there. Unfortunately, I had 2 other stops that day that I couldn't miss, so I had no choice but left at 2pm. I am soo glad I made it to the main hall first to see Rembrandt's Night Watch (granted it was through a piece of glass due to the restoration process). I would've been devastated if I couldn't. Love the info cards for almost all of the major art pieces to explain in detail on how it was created. Some tips: Buy your ticket ahead of time. Get there 15 minutes before your entrance time to get in line and for bag check. No water inside the exhibits. The coat check is your only option if you don't show up right at when they open. The lockers filled up within minutes. Don't be fooled by the opened ones because that means the lock is broken. Definitely worth a stop at the gift shop. (Like I said above) Plan to spend the whole day there.

I am beyond amazed that I get to see the actual Sunflower painting!! O.M.G!…read more I'm not posting any artwork here, because I don't want to take away anyone's experience. If I could go back to Amsterdam, I would definitely go back to this museum again. Yellow is such a joyful color. After visiting the museum, it has a deeper meaning to me. I went through entire museum floor by floor, showroom by showroom. Every corner has something that amazes me. I also got a chance to see how Van Gogh actually looked like! My goodness. I couldn't believe my eyes. A few tips: 1- you must make a reservation online ahead of time. I saw many people got turned away while I was waiting in line for security check. 1b- it's okay to be in line 15 minutes before your supposed arrival time. 2-it's best to buy the audio tour ticket along with the entrance fee instead of buying it on site. It was sold out when I got there. 3-there is a book store on the top floor, and you can actually take home a blank Sunflower coloring sheet for free! It's on an easel at the corner by the window.

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.

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..

This was a really cool museum, i loved it here! I recommend going here if you like Frans Halses art!read more

I purchased a combo ticket together with the Teylers Museum for €17.50 I don't think that this…read moremuseum is a must-see destination in and of itself, but it made a great addition to a day trip to Haarlem! Frans Hals wasn't initially on my radar, but I fell in love with some of his paintings during my visit to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. His lively brushwork and sense of humor definitely catch the eye! However, be warned that majority of this collection isn't actually Frans Hals: unlike the Van Gogh Museum, which is probably 80-90% Van Gogh, here there's one main room with about 12-15 of his major works, and the rest of the collection is from other Dutch contemporaries. Don't get me wrong, the rest of the museum is still entertaining. The galleries are beautiful, with a nice combination of sculpture, decorative arts, and paintings. And there are convenient lockers for storing your belongings while you browse! It's a cool experience to view some of Frans Hals' classic pieces in the town where he lived and worked. But since this is a smaller museum with a narrow focus, I wouldn't dedicate more than an hour or two to your visit.

This museum happened to be free the other day so I ventured in to check it out. I was not…read moreimpressed but I am also not much of a modern art fan either. I thought the place was rather small with not many exhibits. A lot of things would take up entire rooms all by themselves. I usually like to browse around in museums but I walked through the whole thing in about 10 minutes. I even walked around a bit extra because I thought to myself, that can't be all, well it was. I'm really glad I did not pay for this. But maybe if you are a love of modern art like the other review for this place then maybe it is something you would like.

There's a nice livery trendy food court here surrounded by some ok design shops. It's a nice place…read moreto go for a wide choice of food but seems packed a lot. The asparagus fish I had and few pieces of dim sum were all well made.

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.

If you are interested in learning about florescent minerals, history, and art then this place is…read moreenjoyable. Nick is a nice artist who invites you to learn more about the interesting glowing minerals. I really enjoyed this place and can't wait to put up my piece of art I bought from here!

What a wonderful tour. Took the train to Haarlem from Amsterdam and boy was it worth it. We didn't…read morehave a reservation however they said to come back in an hour and they would get us in the next English tour. Was not very familiar with the story and history of this family and home but I left filled with knowledge. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and you could tell she really loved what she was doing. This is a must visit if you're in the Netherlands. Did I mention it's free.

"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

If you're going to take in a modern art museum while in Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum is a good…read moreoption. Admission is €22.50, but if you're 18 and under - it's free! Two hours is a good amount of time to allow to explore the museum, from my experience. Prebook your time for an optimal, smooth experience. It's actually right by the Van Gogh museum so can make for a good accompaniment to that. Weekday mornings are best to avoid crowds. Grab one of their free audio tours when you walk in to get all the details on what you're seeing while walking through!

If you're into modern art and design, the Stedelijk is a must. The location is perfect--it's right…read moreon Museumplein, so it's close to everything and easy to work into a day of sightseeing. The museum is huge, and the collection is incredibly diverse, ranging from classic modernists like Mondrian and Picasso to wild contemporary installations. Definitely plan to spend at least 2 to 3 hours here if you want to see both the permanent collection and the rotating exhibitions without rushing. One of the highlights for me was the cafe (Fonda/Sandberg). It has a beautiful, airy design with lots of natural light, making it the perfect spot to recharge with a coffee after walking through the galleries. The "bathtub" architecture is just as cool on the inside as it is on the outside!

If you want to do something in red light district and not party, I recommend coming to this museum…read more It is self guided and very educational on the history of the world's oldest profession. It is very detailed and informative on what the workers go through by showing POV visuals and hearing their stories. The museum took about 1-2 hours

I really enjoyed this museum and learning about the red light district and its prostitutes. Far…read moremore interesting than I thought it would be. I learned way more than I thought I would, especially because the tour has audio included. My favorite section was the confessions. I really loved all the interesting facts you learn as you walk through. The only thing I didn't like is the terribly annoying voice of the woman who narrated all the audio for the tour.