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Plan Your Visit to the Rijksmuseum

Practical Information

The museum is open throughout the year from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Yes, that includes Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day. Between 3rd April to 28 August 2020, the museum will remain open till 9:00 PM.

While the actual time you spend inside the museum depends on your likes and preferences, you can spend anywhere between 2 to 5 hours at the museum. If you're short on time and want to get a peek at the museum highlights, you can do so within 2-3 hours. A more comprehensive tour of the Rijksmuseum and its many attractions will take around 4-5 hours.

Best Time to Visit Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is generally most crowded between 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. To avoid the crowds, you can visit the museum as soon as it opens at 9:00 AM or after 3:00 PM. Note that the museum closes at 5:00 PM so you'll have to time your visit accordingly. As you would expect, the museum is more crowded during the weekends. During the weekday, Tuesday and Wednesday are quieter and less crowded than the rest of the days.

Getting to Rijksmuseum

  1. By Taxi:
    The easiest, and most expensive, way to get to the Rijksmuseum is by taking a taxi. You can either get a taxi from a designated rink or book one online. Many popular app-based taxi rental services are available in Amsterdam for your convenience. Booking your taxi online is better since you won't have to bargain about the cost.
  2. By Metro:
    If you're planning on taking the metro, board train 52 from Central Station and alight at the Vijzelgracht station, which is walking distance from the Rijksmuseum.
  3. By Tram:
    Amsterdam features a robust tram network and you have multiple options to reach the Rijksmuseum via tram. From Central Station trams 2 and 12 will take you to the Rijksmuseum tram stop. If you're at the Zuid Station, take tram 5 to reach the museum. From Sloterdijk Station, you can take tram 19 to get to Rijksmuseum. Finally, you can take tram 12 from Amstel Station to get to the museum.
  4. By Bus:
    Take bus 288 from the Marnixstraat regional bus station, the city's primary bus station, to the Rijksmuseum bus stop.
  5. From the Airport:
    From Schiphol Amsterdam Airport, you can either take a taxi to the Rijksmuseum or take bus 397 to the Rijksmuseum bus stop. The latter works out to be much cheaper, although more time consuming since the bus will have a pre-planned route and multiple stops.
  6. Guided Tours:
    One of the easiest ways to reach Rijksmuseum is by opting for a guided tour. These guided tours generally include stops at attractions throughout the city and include transportation. You'll be picked up from either your hotel or a common pick-up point and driven around the city as per the planned itinerary. Post the completion of the guided tour, you'll be dropped back to your hotel or a popular spot in the city, depending on the tour operator.
  7. Parking:
    If you're renting a car and driving down to the museum, there are a small number of paid parking spaces in proximity to the Rijksmuseum. There's a supervised Q-Park beneath the Museumplein with the entrance near the Concertgebouw.

Know Before You Go / Handy Insider Tips

  • The Rijksmuseum is located in one of the most happening areas of Amsterdam and you'll have your pick of fabulous hotels in the areas. Some of the best options available include Hotel Cornelisz, Hotel Museumzicht, Max Brown Hotel Museum Square, NH Museum Quarter, Park Centraal Amsterdam, and more.
  • The Museum Square, home to the Rijksmuseum, has some great food options you can choose from. These include the Rijksmuseum Cafe, Levant, aMusee, Cobra Cafe, IL Pacioccone, and many others.
  • Keeping the current exchange rates and cost of living in Amsterdam in mind, you'll be spending at least around $140 per day. This amount includes food, travel and accommodation for the day will change if you partake in activities and attractions around the city.
  • There's no designated dress code for the Rijksmuseum but you're expected to wear footwear and have your top half covered.
  • As with any museum, be mindful of not touching any of the artwork or statues on display at the Rijksmuseum. Also, you're allowed to take pictures inside the museum as long as they are without flash.
  • The Night Watch, one of the most iconic paintings in the world and the star attraction of the Rijksmuseum, is located on the second floor. When you visit the museum in the morning, head straight to the second floor and see the Night Watch before the gallery gets too crowded.
  • Given its popularity, the Rijksmuseum witnesses quite a waiting line at the entrance. Avoid this by booking a guided tour online. Pre-booker guided tours enjoy priority access to the museum, helping you save a lot of time.
  • Before visiting the museum, you can browse the official Rijksmuseum website to get an idea of the kind of artwork on display in the museum. The website displays approximately 130,000 pieces of art online, allowing browsers to download and play around with the pictures!