5 Best Museums in Amsterdam for Art and History Buffs
Want to visit the best museums in Amsterdam? The Dutch capital is home to some of the best museums and art galleries in the world. In fact, there are over 70 museums in the city making it impossible to visit them in just one trip. To you help you decide which ones to visit, we’ve rounded up our favourite museums in Amsterdam where you can learn about Dutch history and view spectacular art. From the masterpieces of Vincent Van Gogh, the famous story that lies in the Anne Frank House to the thousands of Dutch books in the Rijksmuseum library, these are the best museums in Amsterdam…
Rijksmuseum
Located on Museum Square, this Dutch national museum is dedicated to arts and history. We would recommend it to anyone visiting the Dutch capital as it’s the largest art museum in the country. Home to 80 galleries, 800 objects and more than 2000 Dutch paintings from the Golden Age, there’s so much for a budding backpacker to see. Inside you can see the work of Noble Dutch painters such as Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen and Rembrandt. You can also find the largest public art library in the Netherlands. Outside, you can make the most of the beautiful historic museum grounds.
Van Gogh Museum
Passionate about art? Then you’ll be happy to know there’s an entire museum in Amsterdam dedicated to the famous Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh. Housing the largest collection of art by Van Gogh, it’s no surprise that this is one of the city’s most visited museums. Inside you can see more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings and 700 letters by Van Gogh that showcase his impressionist work. Check out his iconic paintings of sunflowers, his self portraits and landscape pieces. You can also see incredible examples of art by his contemporaries.
Stedelijk Museum
If you love modern art, then this is the museum for you. The Stedelijk museum is just a short walk away from the Rijksmuseum and it’s home to fantastic collections of contemporary art. The museum excels when it comes to expressive art and innovation which is why it’s made a name for itself as one of the best modern art museums in the world. If you love photography, drawing or painting, there’s no better place to be inspired in Amsterdam. While there are plenty of modern paintings to see, the Stedelijk museum is also home to works by the greats such as Matisse, Picasso, Newman and Warhol. You’ll also be able to get a look at the best of Dutch design, photography and Dutch furniture.
Anne Frank House
One of our favourites in this list has to be the fascinating Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. You’ll be able to find the Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht canal in Jordaan and it really is an eye opening experience. The museum is located in the former house where Anne Frank spent time in hiding. During the experience you’ll learn up-to-date information about Anne Frank, her diary and the Secret Annex (which you can actually walk in to). The museum preserves her hiding place so you can see exactly how she lived when she was fearing Nazi persecution. You may came out shedding a tear or two so pack some tissues. While she didn’t survive the war, her memory in her diary will always live on.
Hermitage Museum
Another incredible art museum, The Hermitage in Amsterdam is a branch of the famous museum in St Petersburg, Russia. Located on the banks of the Amstel River, the museum is split into three different parts but for access to all of it, the price is €25. The museum is a haven of world class art where you will learn loads about 17th century Amsterdam and Russian history (even though you’re not in Russia). See what exhibitions are on while you’re in the city as there are always some interesting things going on at the Hermitage.
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Article by Shereen Sagoo
