Is the Rijksmuseum Worth It?

Short answer: yes, the Rijksmuseum is worth it, as long as you don’t try to see all of it. The Gallery of Honour alone, with Rembrandt’s Night Watch, Vermeer’s Milkmaid and a corridor of Golden Age masterpieces, justifies the ticket. Where visits go wrong is ambition: this is a huge national museum, and people who try to cover every floor usually leave tired and slightly underwhelmed.

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Key takeaways

• Worth it for almost anyone with a passing interest in art or Dutch history. Even people who “don’t do museums” tend to enjoy the Gallery of Honour.
• Adults pay €25; everyone aged 18 and under gets in free, though they still need a timed ticket.
• Every visitor must book a start time, including Museumkaart holders. Once you’re in, you can stay until closing.
• The Night Watch is under restoration in a glass chamber. You can still see it, and watching the conservators is part of the appeal.
• Go before 11:00 or after 15:30, ideally on a Tuesday or Wednesday, which the museum itself names as its quieter times.

The verdict: who will love it, and who won’t

The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands, and it tells 800 years of Dutch art and history through more than 8,000 objects in a spectacular 19th-century building. That breadth is its strength and its trap.

• You’ll love it if you want to see Rembrandt and Vermeer in a gallery designed around their work, enjoy grand architecture, or like history told through objects as well as paintings.
• You’ll like it if you’re lukewarm on art but pick a route. An hour to 90 minutes on the second floor is enough to understand what the fuss is about.
• It may disappoint you if you only care about Van Gogh (the Rijksmuseum has a handful of his works; the Van Gogh Museum next door has the collection), or if you try to see everything in one go.

The Gallery of Honour and the Night Watch

Almost every first-time visitor heads straight for the Gallery of Honour on the second floor, and rightly so. It’s a long, church-like corridor with alcoves on either side hung with the best of the 17th century: Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Vermeer and Rembrandt. The names of the great painters of the age are cast into the iron beams framing the alcoves. At the end, the corridor opens into the Night Watch Gallery.

What to expect at the Night Watch right now

Since 2019, Rembrandt’s most famous painting has been the subject of Operation Night Watch, the largest research and restoration project in its history. The work happens in full view of the public, inside an ultra-transparent glass chamber. According to the museum, restorers began removing old varnish at the end of 2024, which means larger areas of the painting temporarily look matt and dull.

Is that a reason to skip it? No. You still see the whole canvas at full size, and seeing a team working on it with microscopes is something future visitors won’t get to experience. Just don’t expect the glossy, perfectly lit version from postcards. Check the museum’s Operation Night Watch page before your visit for the current phase.

The Milkmaid and other must-sees

Vermeer’s The Milkmaid is much smaller than most people expect, and there’s often a cluster of phones in front of it. Wait a minute for a gap; it’s worth seeing up close. Also look out for Rembrandt’s The Jewish Bride and Jan Asselijn’s The Threatened Swan, both of which the museum counts among its highlights.

Beyond the Golden Age: the parts most visitors miss

This is where the Rijksmuseum pulls ahead of a typical “famous painting” museum. If you have energy left after the Gallery of Honour, pick one or two of these:

• The Cuypers Library. A multi-storey, cast-iron reading room lined with books. Most visitors look in from above, and it’s one of the most photographed interiors in Amsterdam.
• The Great Hall. The painted, stained-glass entrance hall to the Gallery of Honour is a sight in its own right, so don’t hurry through it.
• The 17th-century dolls’ houses. Astonishingly detailed miniature canal houses, built as showpieces for wealthy owners rather than as toys.
• The 19th and 20th centuries. Look for Van Gogh’s self-portrait and George Hendrik Breitner’s Girl in a White Kimono.
• Asian art. The Asian pavilion is usually far calmer than the second floor. The temple guardians are a highlight.

How much does the Rijksmuseum cost?

Prices from the official website (rijksmuseum.nl) at the time of writing:

Paid tickets are non-refundable, although the museum will try to move your booking to another date if there’s space and you let it know in advance. The museum is entirely cashless, including the café and shop. Prices change, so check the official site before you book.

Is €25 good value? It’s one of the pricier museum tickets in Amsterdam, but you can stay as long as you like, and the collection is world-class. For families it’s a bargain, since children and teenagers are free. It’s poor value only if you’re squeezing it into 45 minutes before another booking.

Guided tour or on your own?

The Rijksmuseum is easier to do independently than many big museums. The free Rijksmuseum app has hundreds of audio stories, and the signage around the major works is good. Still, the building is large, and a guide makes a real difference to how much you take away from the Gallery of Honour.

Go on your own if you’ve already done some reading, want to linger in the Cuypers Library or the Asian pavilion, or are visiting with children who set their own pace.

Choose a guided tour if you have one shot at the museum and want the essentials explained: why the Night Watch caused a stir, what Vermeer does with light, what those dolls’ houses say about 17th-century wealth. The museum’s own tour is short and good value; GetYourGuide (an official Rijksmuseum sales partner) offers longer and small-group formats that include your ticket:

• Rijksmuseum guided tour including entrance ticket: the straightforward option if you want the ticket and a guide in one booking.
• Rijksmuseum masterpieces small-group tour: a smaller group, which helps in front of busy works like the Milkmaid.
• Rijksmuseum entry ticket: a timed ticket if you prefer to explore on your own.

How long should you spend at the Rijksmuseum?

• 1 to 1.5 hours: Great Hall, Gallery of Honour, Night Watch and a look at the Cuypers Library. This is enough for most visitors.
• 2.5 to 3 hours: add the dolls’ houses, the 19th-century galleries and the Asian pavilion at a relaxed pace, with a coffee break.
• Half a day or more: only if you also want a temporary exhibition in the Philips Wing, or you’re genuinely into art and history.

Note that you can’t leave and come back in on the same ticket, so plan your café break inside the museum.

Tips for a better visit

1. Book the first slot of the day. The museum opens daily at 9:00 and says it’s usually quieter before 11:00 and after 15:30.
2. Start at the top. Head directly to the Gallery of Honour on the second floor while you’re fresh, then work down.
3. Download the free app at home. The audio stories are free, but you don’t want to wait for a download in the lobby.
4. Leave the big bag at your hotel. Only bags up to A4 size are allowed in. The free cloakroom takes daypacks and umbrellas, but not suitcases or large luggage; there are lockers on Museumplein for those.
5. Take the metro. Line 52 to Vijzelgracht leaves you less than 10 minutes’ walk away, and several trams stop close to the museum.
6. Photos are fine, flash isn’t. Be quick in front of the most popular paintings.
7. Walk through the passage. The public passageway under the building, with cyclists rolling through, is a classic Amsterdam scene and free. So are the museum gardens, which are open seasonally.

When the Rijksmuseum isn’t worth it

• You have a single day in Amsterdam and no real interest in art. A canal walk and the Anne Frank House area might suit you better.
• You’re really here for Van Gogh. Choose the Van Gogh Museum instead; the Rijksmuseum’s handful of works won’t satisfy you.
• You arrive at midday on a summer weekend without a start time. Walk-up tickets are limited, and a crowded Gallery of Honour is not the experience you’re paying for.
• You’re set on seeing a gleaming Night Watch. During the varnish removal, that isn’t what you’ll see.

Is the Rijksmuseum worth it? Our conclusion

Yes. It’s the one museum in Amsterdam we’d recommend to almost everyone, provided you visit with a plan: book an early start time, go straight to the Gallery of Honour, and pick one or two extras rather than attempting the whole building. If you want the stories behind the masterpieces without working them out yourself, compare guided Rijksmuseum tours before you go.

📍 Planning a trip? See our guide: Things to Do in Amsterdam

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Frequently asked questions

Do you need to book Rijksmuseum tickets in advance?

Every visitor needs a start time, including children and Museumkaart holders. A limited number of tickets are sold at the entrance while stocks last, but booking online is the only way to guarantee your preferred time.

Is the Night Watch on display?

Yes. It hangs in the Night Watch Gallery inside a glass chamber, where the restoration of the painting is carried out in public. Some parts of the painting may look matt while the old varnish is being removed.

Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum: which is better?

For Dutch Golden Age art, history and architecture, choose the Rijksmuseum. If Van Gogh is the main reason you’re in Amsterdam, choose the Van Gogh Museum. They’re next to each other on Museumplein, but doing both on the same day is tiring.

How much time do you need at the Rijksmuseum?

Plan 1 to 1.5 hours for the highlights and 2.5 to 3 hours for a fuller visit. You can stay as long as you like once you’re in.

Is the Rijksmuseum free for children?

Yes. Admission is free for everyone aged 18 and under, but they still need a ticket with a start time.

Can you take photos in the Rijksmuseum?

Yes, photography is allowed without flash. The museum asks visitors to be considerate of others, which matters most in front of the Night Watch and the Milkmaid.

Featured image: Photo: C messier, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons