Welcome to the magnetic city of Amsterdam, where every corner tells a story. Glide along its meandering canals, pedal through picturesque bike paths, and immerse yourself in its 17th-century Dutch charm. Beaches, tulip gardens, and lively nightlife await, but don't miss the Van Gogh Museum — a modern ode to the legendary artist. Delve into his genius across four floors, alongside masterpieces from Monet, Gauguin, and more. Ready to visit? This guide will help you with Van Gogh Museum tickets and all things Amsterdam adventure!
Van Gogh Museum - In a Nutshell
Van Gogh Museum - Things to know
| 📍 Location: | Amsterdam |
| ⏰ Suggested Duration: | 2.5 Hours |
| ☀️ Best Time to Visit: | Early morning or early afternoon |
| 🎟️ Van Gogh Museum Tickets: | €20 |
| 🚇 Closest Subway: | Amsterdam Centraal |
Van Gogh Museum opening hours
Monday to Thursday from 9 AM to 5 PM
Friday to Sunday from 9 AM to 6 PM
Must-see at Van Gogh Museum
Wheatfield with Crows
Almond Blossom
Irises
Sunflowers
Van Gogh Museum Address
Museumplein 6, 1071 DJ Amsterdam, Netherlands
Get Directions
Van Gogh Museum - History under a minute
Vincent Van Gogh was one of the most influential artists in the history of Western art even though his brilliance was short-lived. Following his suicide in 1890, Van Gogh’s artwork went to his younger brother Theo. But after his sudden demise, Theo’s widow, Jo Van Gogh-Bonger took it upon herself to raise public awareness of Vincent’s paintings in various ways.
Her son, Vincent Willem van Gogh set up the Van Gogh Foundation, and the state of Netherlands built the stately Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in 1973 next to the Rijksmuseum. The museum has on display the largest collection of paintings by the artist, more than 200, along with hundreds of letters, drawings, and personal belongings. The rough beauty of post-impressionist art is preserved in its art galleries. The museum saw a footfall of 2.26 million in 2017, so book your tickets well in advance to avoid long queues!
Recommended Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam tickets & Tours
A visit to Amsterdam is incomplete without exploring the Van Gogh Museum. Vincent's priceless paintings are housed in this state-of-the-art museum, which comprises two buildings, connected by the glass entrance hall. The museum’s permanent collection is on display in the main building, the Rietveld building, designed by the architect Gerrit Rietveld in 1963-64. The Kurokawa wing is asymmetrical in design and hosts temporary exhibitions. The Rietveld building has a café, a souvenir shop and an introductory exhibition.
The first floor houses Van Gogh’s work arranged chronologically, so one can take a journey with Van Gogh’s growth as an artist. The second floor houses Vincent’s letters, belongings, and other exhibitions. The third floor displays the world of post-impressionist art in its bold glory, displaying works of Van Gogh’s contemporaries.
Best time to visit the Van Gogh Museum
A museum that clocks over 2 million visitors every year is bound to be crowded. Arriving at opening time or after 3 p.m. on a sunny weekday is the best time to avoid long waiting times. It should be noted that waiting lines in Amsterdam tend to double during rains.
1. Book your tickets online
To avoid the ticket queue, book your Van Gogh Museum tickets online in advance. The booking opens four months in advance and you need to arrive within 30 minutes of your time slot. An entrance ticket for the museum grants you access to all the temporary exhibitions as well.
2. Plan 1.5-2.5 hours for your visit
The average visitor takes 1 hour 15 minutes to properly explore the permanent collection. The museum has a café and a souvenir shop on the ground floor and a bookshop on the third floor, offering a wide selection of products inspired by the life and work of Van Gogh.
3. Use the interactive audio guide
The museum also offers an interactive audio guide, which is tailored for all types of audiences. The multimedia tour is available in eleven languages for €5. The multimedia guide for deep insight into the museum’s permanent collection can be booked online for convenience.
Top 10 paintings at Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam
Considered by the artist as one of his most successful works, Van Gogh painted The Harvest in 1888. The painting attempts to capture the bright, radiating heat of Arles in summer, with peasants working in the rural landscape.
Painted in 1885, Van Gogh wanted the Potato Eaters to be his best work to date. He depicts the harsh reality of country life, where the peasants till the earth and earn their food.
In 1888, Van Gogh prepared his two-story rented building in Arles and invited fellow artists to live and create together. This rendering of his bedroom in soft colors is meant to suggest sleep or rest of the mind.
Van Gogh painted it as a joke during his time at the art academy in Antwerp. Completed in 1886, the painting depicts his skill in painting human anatomy.
Possibly Van Gogh’s last painting, Tree Roots is an explosion of bright, seemingly abstract colors. On careful observation, one can make out the slope with tree trunks and roots. The work remains unfinished, due to his untimely demise.
Iconic menacing skies with crows circling over the yellow-orange field, this masterpiece by Van Gogh was finished in 1890. The painter wanted to convey sadness and loneliness, in contrast with a healthy and fortifying countryside.
Completed in 1890, this joyful painting of almond branches and blossoms under a clear blue sky was supposed to be a gift to his brother Theo, to mark the birth of his son Vincent Willem.
Van Gogh’s signature Sunflowers were created by using variations of a single color. Completed in 1889; for Vincent, the sunflowers represented ‘gratitude’ and he hung the first two in the room of his friend, the painter Paul Gauguin.
Van Gogh renders himself as an exhausted painter holding a color palette and brushes in hand. This was completed in 1888, probably his last piece in Paris, a city of which he eventually grew weary of.
An eccentric choice as subjects of a painting, Van Gogh supposedly bought used work shoes and then walked around in them through the mud to make them interesting. Vincent painted several still life of shoes during his time in Paris in 1888.
Van Gogh Museum: Essentials
The Van Gogh Museum welcomes visitors throughout the year. The timings generally stand between 9 am to 5 pm. On all Fridays throughout the year and from 3 July to 30 August, the timings are from 9 am to 9 pm. To check availability, you can check the Van Gogh Museum’s website’s Opening Hour section.
Directions to Van Gogh Museum
The Van Gogh Museum is located at the Museumplein in Amsterdam.
By car
Easily accessible by car, the nearest car park is Q- Park, located underneath Museumplein. There is a paid parking option on the streets near the museum too.
By train
Multiple Trams and metro lines connect Amsterdam to the Museum’s nearest stops: Van Baerlestraat (tram 2, 5 or 12) or Museumplein (tram: 3, 5 or 12).
By bus
The nearest Bus Stop is Museumplein (bus 347 or 357).
Van Gogh Museum: Things to do around
Rijksmuseum is a Dutch National Museum, the largest art museum in the Netherlands. With a collection of more than 8,000 artifacts spanning 800 years; it preserves the history of Amsterdam from the Middle Ages to the present.
A museum dedicated to Modern and Contemporary art and design, the Stedelijk Museum is located next to the Van Gogh Museum. It houses the works of numerous renowned artists of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries like Matisse, Mondrian, and Chagall.
The Modern Contemporary Museum or the Moco Museum is situated in Amsterdam’s Museumplein. It is a private institution and has the distinction of hosting the works of the avant-garde like Banksy..
A must-visit in every tourist’s list, Vondelpark has something for everyone. Situated near Museumplein, the urban park has an open-air theatre, playground, and cycle paths.
The tragic story of Anne Frank is known across the world. The secret annex in Amsterdam that she lived in during Nazi occupation has become a shrine to her, attracting visitors from all over the world.
The Hermitage Amsterdam is a branch museum of the eminent State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. The picturesque building in the Southern Canal Ring of Amsterdam hosts exhibitions from the grand collection of its parent museum.
Van Gogh Museum: Insider tips
- Book your tickets online in advance, and skip the waiting line in front of the museum. The museum authorities guarantee entry to valid ticket holders.
- Take out sufficient time for your visit and avoid going on a rainy day.
- The queue in front of the museum looks long, but it moves quickly, so be patient.
- The museum prohibits photography and the rule is strictly enforced. As a remembrance of your time spent with Van Gogh, you can pick up a souvenir or postcard from the gift shop.
- Some of Van Gogh’s most recognized works like the Starry Night are not kept in the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. So do your research before you go looking for some specific work of the artist.
- Don’t carry large luggage since the museum does not offer any storage facility
- It is advised to take the multimedia guide, knowing the sheer size of the collection.
- Wear comfortable shoes and carry an umbrella, for Amsterdam’s weather is finicky.
FAQs
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