Museums are the pièce de résistance of European cities. Beyond their famous monuments and charming cafés, these are what most tourists visit when they get here. It's true in Paris, in Rome, in London, and of course, in Amsterdam as well. Now, here in the Dutch capital, the museums here truly are top-notch. As the home to Flemish art, you can already get a good sense of the beauty you will discover here. There are probably so many to choose from, you won't know which to visit first, right? Well, wherever you go, you shouldn't miss these top Amsterdam museums, that's for sure!
Rijksmuseum
Akin to the likes of the Louvre in Paris or the MET in New York, Rijksmuseum is the most famous and arguably the main museum in Amsterdam. It's as if your trip to this city isn't complete if you haven't been here at least once. With a whopping 8,000 pieces on display, it'd practically take you an entire day to get through everything here. The scope of the collection is quite wide, ranging from the iconic works of Flemish masters to Eastern traditional-wear that have been preserved for hundreds, possibly thousands of years.
Source: Rijksmuseum Instagram Page
Van Gogh Museum
It's no secret that the Netherlands' most famous painter was Vincent Van Gogh. His unique art style, paired with this eccentric lifestyle, made him a historic figure in the art world and beyond. And if you're a huge fan of Van Gogh, it's only natural that you ought to visit his commemorative museum in Amsterdam, right? Although not all of his famous works are displayed here, the museum itself provides a fascinating retrospective of the artist's style, life, and legacy.
Source: Van Gogh Instagram Page/ Tomek Dersu Aaron
Stedelijk Museum
Located in the Museumplein
district of Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum is a shrine to modern and contemporary art. Amidst a sea of historic galleries and ancient artifacts, this is arguably the best place if you want to see art from the early 20th century to now. In the Stedelijk Museum, you'll get to see the actual masterpieces of the likes of Picasso, Cézanne,, Matisse, Chagall, and more—game-changers of the art world in more ways than one!
Source: Stedelijk Museum Instagram Page/ Aatjan Renders
Anne Frank House
Speaking of 20th-century icons, perhaps none are as sad and tragic as the young Anne Frank. The little girl whose diary put the entire world to tears, it's become a pilgrimage of sorts for World War II survivors, human rights activists, writers, artists, and of course, little girls, too. Today, you can visit the actual house where it all happened and take a closer look at what people like Anne Frank went through during this sad time. Make sure to get here early though because the line here tends to get long!
Source: Anne Frank House Official Instagram Page
Foam
No! Despite its name, Amsterdam's Foam museum isn't all about the soft and squishy material. Instead, it's all things photography! Undeniably one of the finest art institutions in the city—probably in the entire country too!—it's practically a shrine dedicated to the finest photographs known to man. Or of man! The museum's scope of works ranges from fashion editorials to wildlife photography. Featuring all sorts of subjects, you get to see through different lenses in this groundbreaking museum!
Source: Foam Amsterdam Instagram Page
Hermitage Amsterdam
If you want to talk about the unexpected, visit Hermitage Amsterdam! Since it's a branch of the famous St. Petersburg museum of the same name, you can expect a lot of Russian opulence here. Sure, you'll still get your fix of the Dutch masters and whatnot, but what you go here for is the maximalist splendor of Russia. Royal dresses from its past eras, shimmering Fabergé eggs, and more. It's a good thing this place is pretty easy to get to via
public transport because you'll want to rush here as soon as you can!
Source: Hermitage Amsterdam Instagram Page/ Eva Bloem
Museum Van Loon
Museum Van Loon is the type of place where you can live out your lush fantasies of aristocratic life. Perched right beside the serene canals of Amsterdam, this 17th-century structure is itself, already a work of art. Owned by the prestigious Van Loon family, it evokes classic elegance with touches of Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo art. With all its historic glory, this is the type of museum that you simply must see for yourself. A virtual tour isn't enough, I'm afraid.
Source: Museum Van Loon Instagram Page
EYE Filmmuseum
You can probably already tell from its name what EYE Filmmuseum is all about. This place is Amsterdam's mecca of movies, from Hollywood blockbusters to foreign independent pictures that tug at your heartstrings. With its many exhibitions, you can get to know more about the many films that changed your life; even unknown ones that you probably thought that no one, apart from you, was aware of. Breaking down the magic to give you an extensive view of just how hard the artists behind these movies worked, you'll appreciate your favorite films even more after just one visit here.
Source: EYE Filmmuseum Instagram Page
Moco Museum
Though it's one of the newer museums on this list, Amsterdam's Moco Museum is still a definite must-see! At first glance, since it's housed in a classic Dutch home, you'd think this will be filled with fine art and all that stuff. But when you get inside, it's like you went into a totally different place! From Banksy artworks to exhibitions honoring rock music legends, Moco Museum is all about bringing the underground above ground for all the world to see!
Source: Moco Museum Instagram Page/ Artotel Instagram Page
Electric Ladyland
Finally, speaking of 'underground art,' the city's Electric Ladyland - Museum of Fluorescent Art, is sort of under this category, isn't it? You can't get any underground than playing with lights to make psychedelic artworks. And though many of the pieces here come all the way back from the 1950s, the overall vibe of the place is current, new, and contemporary. it only goes to show that dates and history don't matter in art nowadays. It's all about making an impact! And boy, does Electric Ladyland ever!
Source: Electric Ladyland
Admit it, one of the main things you'll do in Amsterdam is to go museum-hopping! No one can blame you! The Dutch capital has a whole host of exquisite galleries, historic treasures, and more for all the world to see!
It's great luck if you can find a
luxury home that's near any of these popular museums in Amsterdam!
