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.

Never quite seen so many music makers…read more There is a good kids attraction where they can do a scavenger hunt There is a guided tour that looks interesting Took about one hour for us to go through and feel like we were able to see everything

I seriously can't fathom why this museum is so poorly rated. This was probably my favorite museum…read moreon our trip. If you are going, make sure to take the TOUR. We made the 10:30am one. It's free and the young man, in addition to explaining what the automatons and musical instruments were and the history behind them, actually wound up all the ancient relics so you could see them in action. Some of this stuff is really old, which is mind boggling. Exceptional museum and so much fun (and I don't have children and am not a child!). A must-visit in Utrecht. Also, a separate note about Holland for those planning their trip. Utrecht and The Hague were our favorite cities. We found Amsterdam to be touristy and overrated. Delft is a nice day trip (20 minutes from The Hague) but don't go to the Delftware factory, it is a tourist trap. Skip Leiden: university town but not that interesting and not much in it.

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.

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!

This was a pleasant surprise! From the ship to the diverse objects, I really enjoyed discovering…read morethis museum. Unfortunately didn't have the time to see everything, but that' just another reason to visit Utrecht again.

Nice-sized museum - you can pretty much see the whole thing in less than 3 hours…read more * Great 700- or 1000-year old ship in the basement * The Dick Bruna studio on the top floor is really great. * Manageable collection of art * Modern Furnishings collection Parking nearby is quite expensive.

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.

Fantastic for kids and those of us who still think like one. The museum hall has a good collection…read moreof steam trains but they allow you to roam around all the engines in their shunting yard, meaning you can get up close to the trains and carriages. The collection itself is a little smaller than the railway museum in York but being able to ramble around the actual tracks is a real bonus. Worth a visit.

This museum is wonderful for kids and adults who love trains!!…read more The Trains: There are plenty to see and even have interactive games and movies inside to keep kids busy. Don't forget to check out the trains parked outside. The rides: There are about 4 rides, but only the roller coaster may be a little too scary for kids under 6 years of age. I recommend parents check out the rides first. The gift shop : Has a huge selection of train related merchandise for both kids and adults. The restaurant : Has a pretty large menu and is reasonably priced. The toilets: Are free to use with admission. Overall, highly recommend!

What a fantastic museum. It's free with the museum card. I was amazed at the quantity and quality…read moreof art here. There's really too much to mention- suffice it to say there are paintings, reliquaries, precious objects, textiles, statues, altar screens, movies of historic catholic celebrations- and so much more. It's a tremendous pleasure to visit a gem like this. My favorite pieces? The amazing Monstrans by the local Utrecht silversmiths and the wonderful portrait of Erasmus.

The current exhibit, MARIA, is well advertised but it's not terribly interesting. It's a bit…read moreconfusing to find the starting point, and the curation is clearly from a religious rather than an artistic perspective. But the buildings are very much worth seeing. The serenity in busy Utrecht is wonderful. I would like to see more of the gardens in better weather. The neighborhood is worth exploring further, Vaartsje Rijn with a new train station. Lots of vintage shops and small cafes.

Brought our kids here. I can tell their is lots to do- not as much in English…read more Looks like you you can do science experiments and also looks like a lot of kids come here Lots of bones and taxidermy that is really awesome!