We didn't have the opportunity to visit the Rijksmuseum while in Amsterdam, but we did visit the Rijksmuseumtuinen (Rijksmuseum Garden), which is located just outside of the museum. The garden is free, and it is open from 9am to 6pm during the "summer". (There is no definition of what "summer" is, and it was open when we went on April 1.)
While not a huge garden, there is still quite a bit packed in, and we spent a leisurely 45 minutes to an hour in the garden. Due to the season, the flowers weren't yet in full bloom, but it was still a beautiful garden. It was very relaxing wandering around, and I enjoyed looking at the statues of the gods and goddesses and mythological figures throughout the garden.
There were chairs to sit and relax in, and there was also a cafe that sold wine! In the garden was a water feature where water sprayed from the ground, leaving a dry center, and we were amused watching people standing in the center while water sprayed all around them.
A very enjoyable (and cheap) way to spend an hour or so.
[Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Parks and Gardens; Cheap Thrills] read more