Rijksmuseum
Rijksmuseum · Amsterdam, Netherlands (Museumplein)
Treasure house of the Dutch Golden Age: Rembrandt's Night Watch and masterpieces by Vermeer and Hals are all here.
Know before you go
- Don't touch the paintings or exhibits
- don't use flash
- don't hog the best spot in front of the Night Watch
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
The Night Watch is not actually a night scene
Rembrandt's huge painting, completed in 1642, is officially called 'Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq'. For a long time it was covered in dark varnish, making people think it showed a night scene — hence the name 'The Night Watch'. When it was moved into Amsterdam's town hall in 1715, it was trimmed on all four sides to fit the wall, and the cut pieces have never been found; in 2021 the Rijksmuseum used artificial intelligence to reconstruct the missing parts from an early copy, displaying them for three months.
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
The Rijksmuseum was founded in The Hague on 19 November 1798 and moved to Amsterdam in 1808. Its current main building, designed by Pierre Cuypers, opened in 1885; after ten years of renovation it was reopened by Queen Beatrix on 13 April 2013. It is the largest art museum in the Netherlands, displaying about 8,000 works of art and history, including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Vermeer.
Local customs
- Large backpacks must be checked in
- the Night Watch gallery is often crowded, so view it up close and then make room for others
Etiquette
Etiquette & taboos
Rules that apply here
Netherlands: don't swim in Amsterdam's canals
- Swim in designated swimming areas
- Jumping into a canal to swim
- Urinating by a canal
Swimming in a canal brings a €160 fine; urinating in a canal is also fined.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Netherlands travel advice
Netherlands: cannabis is tolerated only in designated places
- Understand that 'tolerated' does not mean legal
- Smoking cannabis in public places
- Buying or possessing drugs outside designated places
Using it in public is illegal; buying or possessing it outside designated places can mean prison.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Netherlands travel advice
Netherlands: everyone over 14 must be able to show ID
- Carry your passport
- Going out without any ID
€100 fine for those over 16, €50 for those aged 14–15.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Netherlands travel advice
Don’t DON'T
- Don't touch the paintings or exhibits
- don't use flash
- don't hog the best spot in front of the Night Watch
Locals appreciate DO
Amsterdammers appreciate visitors who choose a few key works to look at closely rather than rushing to tick everything off.
Plan your visit
Practical info
| Best time | At opening time |
|---|---|
| Time needed | 2–3 hours |
Travel tips
- Buy tickets in advance online
- it shares Museumplein with the Van Gogh Museum, so you can do both on the same day
- the passage running through the building is a cycle path
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