About Rijksmuseum
Rijksmuseum is regarded as the State museum, the most important museum in Netherlands. It displays Dutch art and history from the Middle Ages onwards, and it also holds a collection of European and Asian art. Over two million people visit Rijksmuseum annually, and admire its 8,000 wonderful works of art.
When to visit Rijksmuseum
Visitors can explore Rijksmuseum daily, from 9 AM to 5 PM. One has to be aware of the long queue outside of Rijksmuseum. Museum’s gardens, Rijks shop and café are available to visitors without a ticket.
Why to visit Rijksmuseum
The collection of Rijksmuseum was founded in 1800, but it started to use the current building in 1885. The French had already established national museum, so Louis Napoleon, the King of Holland, organized the first exhibition in Royal Palace on Dam Square. The collection included Rembrandt’s Night Watch, the city’s greatest painting.
In 1885 architect Pierre Cuypers designed the museum’s building, inspired by Neo-Gothic and Neo-Renaissance styles. The collection was finally exhibited in this space. In 2013 Spanish architects Cruz y Ortiz Architectos renovated and expanded the entire building. They kept its historical exterior, but they made a marvelous 21st century interior.
The story of Dutch art and culture is arranged chronologically. You can find the highlights of Rijksmuseum in the Great Hall, which guides you to the Gallery of Honour. It is a prominent, long corridor which displays Jan Steen’s witty moralizing scenes and ingenious portraits of Frans Hals. There are also examples of Jan Vermeer’s unique style, and, of course, masterpieces of Rembrandt.
The corridor takes visitors further to the Night Watch gallery, the most interesting part of the museum for many visitors. This room is especially designed to show this fantastic painting, because of its remarkable light, composition and size. Moreover, thirty galleries of Rijksmuseum are dedicated to the art of the 17th century.
There are rooms with Middle Ages and Renaissance art, Delft ceramics, glass and silver, captivating dollhouses from the 17th century and Asian and Indonesian artifacts. The collection focused on the 18th century in Netherlands displays particularly interesting house objects and personal items, as an example of good taste and exquisite interior decoration. Works by CoBrA artist, Karel Apel, and De Stijl designer, Gerrit Rietveld, also deserve a special attention at Rijksmuseum.
Significance of Rijksmuseum
Rijksmuseum is world’s biggest collection of Dutch Golden Age masterpieces. Its generous mission is to connect the audience with culture and heritage, and to enable individuals to cherish and enjoy art.
